Life After Love
by Holly Sparks
Summary: Draco's father finds out that his son has fallen for Hermione Granger. Love, pain, and drama ensues. Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, because J.K. Rowling created the lovely darlings. (COMPLETE but REWRITE PENDING. I will update each chapter as I go, while I'm in the process of also transferring the new version to AO3. Thank you for reading.)
1. Prologue

"Do you believe me to be a fool son?"

Draco, standing before his father solemnly in his dark black dress robes, looks up to meet the elder's cold stare.

"No sir, I-,"

" If you wish for that filthy Mudblood of yours to live, I suggest you continue to listen to my words in silence," Lucius Malfoy hisses into his son's ear before he gazes at him dangerously.

At his words, only a slight shift in Draco's eyes give away the distinction that he is upset. However, Lucius being versed in his son's many mannerisms, is able to see right through the tight and calm facade.

" Of all of the dissapointments that I could have foreseen you causing me, this by far is the worst of all. Not only fraternizing with the enemy, but allowing yourself to become tainted by a person with such dirty blood is inconceivable. The Dark Lord will not be pleased when he learns this new information. Perhaps, we could turn her over to him and-,"

" NO!," Draco shouts, not caring that he cut in the middle of his father's monologue.

" I beg your pardon, did you just interrupt me son?"

"Yes, I did father. Whatever happens, I refuse to allow you to hand her to him,"

" You would defy me in such a manner, over a Mudblood? You insolent little boy,"

A loud crack resounds throughout the room as Lucius's palm meets Draco's cheek. Not expecting retaliation, Draco's father turns away. However, as this occurs, Draco draws his wand, aiming straight for his father's head.

"Obliviate!"


	2. 7 Days Ago

December 1996

Carefully meandering through the halls of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger attempts to escape to her destination unseen. The less people, paintings or ghosts who know her whereabouts on this particular night, the better. Upon reaching her journey's end, she spies a single young man overlooking the vast expanse laid out before him from his current vantage point. Hearing her gentle breathing, he turns to look into the eyes of the person he'd been waiting for. Running towards him, she jumps into his arms, allowing him to catch her.

" Draco," she breathes quietly into his ear.  
" I've been waiting for you,"  
" I'm sorry. Harry and Ron are beginning to become suspicious. I don't know how much longer I can continue to circumnavigate the truth with either of them,"  
" Hm," Draco grunts then kisses Hermione across her forhead, before gently setting her back on the ground and turning away.  
" What's wrong? You seem tense,"  
" I'm fine love. I just have a lot on my mind,"  
The absent minded response causes Hermione's eyebrows to raise, while knitting together in thought.  
" Is it something I can help you with Draco?"  
Hearing the fear lacing her words, he slowly pivots about to stand directly in front of her. Noticing how alight her eyes are with tenderness and worry, he wraps his arms around her, pulling her close without another word. Draco had never been an overtly affectionate person to begin with, so each moment such as this, Hermione quietly cherishes.  
" Even if you could Hermione, I wouldn't ask. This is something I have to do myself,"  
Instead of replying, she chooses to remain silent. Over the course of their one year relationship, which has previously had many ups and downs to date, there were certain parts of himself that Draco chose to keep from her out of pure self preservation. He knew that she cared, but to what extent? What if one day she decided she couldn't handle being with him? At least he could say that he hadn't completely let himself go to her. Although it frustrated her to no end, she understood that certain aspects of oneself and life were private.  
" Draco, I love you," Hermione admits, looking up towards him tentatively.  
The heart beating inside of Draco's chest feels like it has stopped all together, looking down at the witch who had stolen his heart long ago. Against his will, it seems as though his brain has disconnected from his head as well. Willing words to come out, he can see the self doubt slowly tredging its way over his girlfriend's physical features.  
In regards to school and friends, she embodies her house mascot. In matters of the heart, one could say it is a different story. Awaiting his reaction, she turns away, looking off into the distance at the setting sun. She hadn't meant to spew the truth as she had moments ago, however, she knew she couldn't hold it in any longer.  
" Hermione, are you positive?"  
" What are you on about, am I positive?" She asks angrily, whirling around.  
" I just mean to say-,"  
" You stop right there Draco Malfoy before you utter something you'll regret. In case it has escaped your notice, for the past year I've only had eyes for you. Despite the fact that you acted like a complete arse for the better part of the 6 years I've known you, I still gave you a chance. For a whole year, I have lied to everyone I love, because I want to be with you. It may not be ideal, but life and love are never easy. You are arrogant, secretive, and sometimes a downright toerag. However, despite all of these attributes of you that I cannot stand, I also know that you are thoughtful, passionate, and loyal in regards to those you care for. I love you for both the good and the bad. The question now remains, do you reciprocate these feelings?"  
" Merlin woman, I love you too," he says breathily, before pulling her towards him swiftly to encircle her in a loving embrace.  
Worries and cares are thrown off the tower as the unlikely couple becomes lost in each other. As the two continue their heated embrace, a lonely figure steps out of the shadows near the entrance of the tower, and quietly walks deeper within the castle. 


	3. A Beginning and an End

With a determination, Draco walks to Astronomy Tower, to wait for Hermione. Having already previously thought of every possible route to take, he knew that this could be the only way. The impending war loomed ever closer. Soon, he would have to finish the vanishing cabinet and allow the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He knew he had no control of the matter. If he had a choice, he would take Hermione and run away as far as he could.

The Obliviate spell he had used on his father over the holidays, worked exactly as he had planned. Only Obliviating what he had needed to, his father came out none the wiser, while the winter holidays finished without a hitch. Now, he had to deal with the aftermath and clean up the trail he had left behind. Someone had told his father, that much he was sure of. Whom had done so, was another mystery that he continued to puzzle over.

A breathless Hermione comes into view moments later, a rose colored blush painting her cheeks from the cold night air. Her eyes brighten at the sight of Draco, whom she had not seen since before the holidays. Her beauty nearly knocks the wind out of Draco, all flushed and anxious to see him. It never ceased to amaze him that the brightest witch of their age could care for him of all people.

Once again, she runs into his arms, not waiting any longer for an invitation. Instead of quickly pulling away as was his customary reaction on most occasions, he chooses to hold her close and memorize the feeling of her in his arms. Taking in her strong but small body against him, with the smell of parchment and strawberries swirling around her, he attempts to hold onto this moment, as if it were the last one he would ever have.

" Draco, I've missed you something terrible. Not being allowed to even write you was harder than I thought,"

" I know the feeling love. At least you were surrounded by family and friends, I'd almost venture to say I would have endured a Weasley Christmas if it meant not being left virtually alone in the manor with Mother and Father at opposite ends,"

" That sounds horrible. Maybe next Christmas, or the one after. One day, we won't all be living in fear, I hope,"

" Always the optimist, Granger," he teases, kissing her on the forhead to hide the hurt he cannot allow her to see.

" Well, someone has to be in this relationship," Hermione replies lightly as she takes the opportunity to snuggle into his chest.

For a moment, they both stand there, wrapped around each other. Something is different about this night, both can tell, while no one wishes to voice it. The start of a new term means the war is ever closer to coming to a head. Both know that the other is on the opposite side, whether they speak of it or not.

" Since we had no chance to exchange gifts before the holidays, I brought it with me tonight," Hermione states, pulling slightly away to reach into her pocket and return it to its normal size.

Quietly, Hermione hands him what looks to be a photo album. Flipping through the pages, he finds pictures from the past year filling the pages. While some are magical, some are also muggle. Some of them are just of him, her, or certain parts of Hogwarts. Then, the ending has pictures of only them. For the first time, he is able to see himself through her eyes.

Flipping to the very end, the last picture is one of them smiling and him sneaking a quick kiss upon her lips before smiling again. How she had managed to track down and keep ahold of all of these pictures, he couldn't guess. However, to him this is just about the best present she could have given him. Looking back up at her, he sees her waiting upon his reaction to the gift. Pocketing it, he walks towards her and kisses her softly, cursing the world and its current state.

" Do you like it?"

" I love it Hermione. It means a great deal to me that you would do such a thing. Thank you,"

" You're welcome,"

In a sudden rush of fear and passion, Draco leans down and captures her lips, as if they were his oxygen. Although taken by surprise, Hermione responds and winds her fingers in his blonde hair, eliciting a slight moan. Pulling her against him tightly, he holds her as if she is the gravity that keeps him upright. For a few moments, they both cling to one another, as if it were the most natural action in the world. Pulling away for air, they look at each other in amazement. Never had they felt the need to cling to each other so roughly before.

" I love you Draco Malfoy," she says, while cupping his cheek.

" And I love you Hermione Granger," he replies breathlessly.

Letting silence overtake them once again, Draco is reminded of his reason for being here tonight. Despite all of this, their closeness in the moment makes him falter. How could he live without her? Only she truly knew who he was, and she loves him, despite his flaws. Could he truly give that up?

He'd been over this argument with himself a hundred times though. What he was about to do would be for her own good. Nothing good could come of them knowingly loving each other from opposite sides of the battlefield. She deserved so much more than he could give her. Despite telling himself all of this, it did not make executing his plan any easier.

Looking down at the brown eyed bushy haired witch who is looking into his eyes with nothing but love, his resolve hardens. This wasn't about just himself anymore, as much as he wished it were. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted to keep her to himself, despite knowing that it would never work that way. Letting go he knew would be hard, but knowing that she could die being with him had already made up his mind for him. If it was a choice between her safety and being with him, he would always choose her safety first.

" Hermione, I believe I heard someone coming. It wouldn't be prudent to be found together. Could you go check?"

" Of course. I'll be right back love," she says, reassuringly as she places a kiss on his forhead.

Turning away, she begins walking off in the direction of the supposed intruder. For the second and last time, Draco raises his wand at someone he loves and says, "Obliviate!"

 **Author's Note: Fear not, this is only the beginning. :) Thank you to everyone who has already favorited or followed this story. I hope you continue to enjoy.**


	4. A Pitch Fit

March 1996

Sitting on the Quidditch pitch with a blanket spread underneath them, with their hands loosely intertwined as they flick through the pages of their respective tomes, Draco and Hermione are heavily surrounded by books on either side of them. Both are heavily entrenched in studying for their upcoming O.W.L.'s. So far, they had been together for two months, and no one had been any wiser to it.

Today, they had an excuse to be thrown together on the pitch. Professor McGonagall, bless the woman, had given them a joint Transfiguration assignment. Much to Harry and Ron's chagrin, they had all three conceded together that it would be easier to finish said assignment if the pair actually worked together. However, the couple, both being the two smartest students of their Year, had already finished the assignment.

Separately, each are reveling in the time they are able to spend with one and other out in the open, owing thanks to the Transfiguration professor a hundred fold for the excuse. Despite the fact that outwardly neither could come right out and ask, the pair were under the heavy suspicion that if anyone in the castle knew of their relationship, it would be her. At the moment, neither is too upset about this fact.

Umbridge, being the nosy woman that she is, had almost caught them on multiple occasions. Luckily, their brains could be put to good use on each of those encounters, leaving her none the wiser. Her favorite student couldn't possibly be lying to her, despite the fact that his preferred study partner happened to be one of her least favorites.

" This is bloody frustrating," Draco yells out, throwing his current book down, making Hermione jump slightly.

" What is Draco?"

Reminding himself to rein in the anger, he stands up and begins pacing.

" Half of the spells I've seen are going to require a practical, and Umbridge has refused to allow us to use most of those spells even in a classroom setting. How does she expect us to pass our exams?"

" Think about the statement you made for just a moment, and you'll have your answer,"

It only took a moment for him to stand there, and then explode again.

" What the bloody hell?"

" I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out. Even with being on that Inquisitorial Squad of hers, you have to realize that she is as batty as they come,"

" My only question is why. What could possess her to want to leave students academically underprepared?"

" Many reasons, from what Harry, Ron, and I have gathered. Her and Fudge believed that Dumbledore was using the students to create an army to take over the Ministry. Their paranoia brought her here,"

" That's ludicrous,"

" Try telling Umbridge that,"

Silence envelopes them both once again, and leaves each to their own thoughts. Sitting down and resuming their previous position, Hermione takes the opportunity to massage his left hand in a calming motion. Slowly, some of the anger dissipates, the more he focuses on the pleasure he is receiving from his girlfriend's ministrations.

" I can't imagine the Golden Trio taking this lying down easily. How does Potter deal with this? He nearly split a blood vessel when he found out we aren't allowed to use magic in Defense Against The Dark Arts at the beginning of the year,"

At this, Hermione seizes up. She isn't sure what to say. She knows Harry would want to murder her if he found out she told Draco about the D.A. He was the head of the Inquisitorial Squad. However, he was also her boyfriend, who had proved trustworthy so far. He clearly didn't agree with Umbridge's methods either, but his father made it quite clear he was to support whatever silly decrees she passed. They had only been together for four months though. Hermione wasn't sure what to do.

" I know you're hiding something. You aren't very hard to read when it comes to body language and facial expressions. As long as your secret does not happen to include you snogging Wonder Boy or his oaf of a best friend, I don't care,"

" Thank you Draco," Hermione says, as she breathes a sigh of relief.

" So the rumors are true then,"

Cocking her head to the side, she gives him a questioning look.

" Please don't get caught. That's all I ask," he asks quietly while pretending to be looking at a book.

Realizing he knows, Hermione looks at him for a moment, contemplating what to do. Somehow, he knew about the D.A, which was one problem in itself, because that meant others suspected as well. The other was that now he knew for sure, and under Veritaserum he could confirm the truth.

" We weren't planning to," she admits, resignedly.

"Good, now let's get back to studying, or someone might actually think we enjoy each other's company," he says with a smirk.

Leaning over quickly, she sneaks a kiss on his cheek, before returning to her spot on the blanket, as if nothing had happened at all. Reaching across the space between them, Draco grabs her hand and protectively grips it tighter than before. Quietly, they continue studying together, knowing that they had just entered a new stage of their relationship.


	5. A Week Later

" What's wrong mate?" Blaise Zabini asks, plopping down next to Draco on his left at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall during breakfast.

Next to him, the platinum blonde haired boy sits, his face staring sullenly down at the full plate of food in front of him. Despite hearing his best friend beside him, he merely shakes his head, letting him know he does not feel like speaking. Knowing that Potter had heard Blaise, he chooses to keep his head down, so he can avoid the curious stares of the Golden Trio, namely one Hermione Granger. He can't handle the reality that Hermione, _his_ Hermione, does not remember even one single memory that has occurred between them over the past twelve months. Despite being his idea, the pain of watching her being completely oblivious to the fact that there had ever been anything between them, is slowly killing him inside.

" Draco, you haven't eaten more than a few scraps in a solid week. You'll end up in the infirmary by the end of the day if you don't at least attempt to stomach some food into your body,"

" I'm not in the mood Blaise. Keep your comments to yourself,"

" Dammit Malfoy! Stop this. I don't know what's wrong, but you better start acting like your life means something. I'm sick of seeing all of this self pity," Blaise hisses quietly for only the pair to hear.

" You don't understand," Draco replies numbly, without looking up.

" Then make me understand! I'm your best mate. If anyone could possibly understand what you're going through, it's me. We've been through too much for you to act like I'm some annoying first year,"

Sighing, Draco throws a quick glance in the direction of the Gryffindor table, before turning back to Blaise. Next to him, Blaise is looking at him with concern. Despite wanting to leave him in the dark, he knows his best friend won't let it go until he gets to the bottom of it. Between his task of killing Dumbledore and no longer having the emotional support of his favorite bushy haired witch, he feels like he is breaking apart inside.

" Fancy a fly around the pitch?"

" Sure mate, but-,"

" I'll talk to you later, when there aren't wandering ears. Take it or leave it,"

" Okay,"

As if acknowledging the compromise, Draco silently picks up a piece of toast and takes a bite, glaring at the hand he sees wrapping around Hermione's waist.

HMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHM

" I had no idea mate. We all assumed you had a task from him to complete, but I never imagined something like that. So, the next question is, what are you planning on doing?"

" I have to do this Blaise, I have no choice. The Dark Lord said that if I don't, he'll kill me and my whole family,"

" I know that none of us particularly care for the old coot, but to attempt to off Dumbledore by yourself? That in itself seems like a death wish. It's almost as if he wants you to fail,"

" I've already tried a few times, but each time my attempt has been botched. I simply need to try harder. I don't want my parents to be murdered in cold blood because I can't kill one man,"

Silence overtakes them as they each contemplate the thoughts running through their minds.

" Look man, I've known you for a long time. We've been best mates since we were in diapers. You are a lot of things, but a murderer is not one of them. A right bastard, and an arrogant prick at times, yes. A killer, no,"

" It doesn't matter. I have to do this,"

" If you say so. I don't think that you'll go through with it, but if you have to try to save your parents, I guess I understand. We've all known the war is coming. My mother and I choose to remain neutral. On a lighter note, will you explain to me why you can't take your eyes off a certain female Gryffindor?"

Visibly blanching, Draco looks up at Blaise as if he's grown a second head before his very eyes.

" What are you on about mate?"

" You think that just because you're attempting to hide it from everyone else, that I haven't noticed?"

" Has anyone else?" Draco asks, sighing.

" No, but that's only because they don't know you like I do. Now, why do you keep staring at that mudblood Granger?"

" Don't ever call her that in front of me ever again," Draco says, with a menacing tone that surprises even him.

" What the bloody hell? If you're the one telling me not to call her that, I know there is definitely something you aren't telling me, so spill,"

Realizing his mistake, Draco looks down at the wooden stands beneath him, attempting to decide the best course of action. Blaise already knows more than he ever had wanted anyone to know. On the one hand, it feels good to decompress, but on the other, admitting all of this could just as soon mean his imminent death, as well. Not looking up, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the scrapbook, which he then engorges back to its normal size. Handing it over to Blaise, he turns away as his best friend uncovers his favorite and best kept secret.

In what feels like forever, but in reality could not have been more than a few minutes, Blaise flips through the pictures and stares down in shock and awe as he watches the timeline to the very end. Carefully, he closes the book after he looks at the last page, and hands it back.

" You're in love with her. Bloody hell," Blaise says, still not quite sure how to handle the whole situation.

" A very astute observation," Draco replies drily, not trusting himself to say much else.

" I'm not sure exactly what to say. I guess congratulations are in order,"

" I wouldn't congratulate me anymore mate,"

" Why is that? Did you two have a bit of a falling out?"

" I suppose that's one way to put it," Draco says, decreasing volume as he looks away.

" What happened?"

" I obliviated our relationship from her mind last week. The only part of me she remembers is the insufferable prat I've been for the past six years,"

" You did WHAT? Why would you do that Draco?"

Turning back to his best friend, he looks up at with miserably.

" Why do you think Blaise? It could never work between us in the long run, no matter how much we love each other. There's a war coming, and if you haven't noticed, we're on the complete opposite ends of it! Obliviating her mind ensures that if she's ever captured, Merlin forbid, that she will be more protected than before,"

" I hate to break it to you, but whether or not you had obliviated her, she has been marked for death since the day that Potter chose to be her friend. If you haven't noticed, anyone close to him is a target. I may be neutral, but bloody hell mate, even I know that,"

" She's better off never knowing that we loved each other, either way. This is me letting go of her on my own terms,"

" That's why you're carrying around the scrapbook she gave you for Christmas in your pocket, right?"

" Shove off Blaise. I'm finished trying to explain this to you. What I did is for her own good,"

" Whatever you say mate. Now, instead of feeling sorry for what you've lost, how about I dominate your pathetic arse at a game of catch the snitch. Loser has to write Snape's essay on Veritaserum for the other. Are you game?"

The ghost of a smirk falls upon Draco's lips as he considers the offer. He could use a good distraction at the moment.

" You do realize that means you'll be up all night writing both of ours, right?" Draco replies as cheekily as he can muster.

" In your dreams lover boy, let's go. I really need you to have time to finish both of our essays tonight,"

The teasing continues as the boys mount their brooms in the stands and commence one of their favorite past times. For the first time in a week, Draco doesn't feel quite as lonely.

 **Author's Note: So, thoughts anyone? We'll be seeing more canon compliant scenes as we go on, despite it breaking my heart... This is by no means the end though. ;) Anyways, hope you're having a great day/night! Ps. Still looking for a beta, if anyone is up to the task. Pps. Thank you to IGOTEAMEDWARD and everyone else for reading! It means so much. :)**


	6. The Beginning Of It All

" How could I have been so stupid!" Hermione exclaims from her spot by the fire in anger.

" What's wrong Hermione?" Ron asks from beside her, still slightly alarmed from the sudden outburst moments ago.

" I left my notes for the Transfiguration exam down in the library, on the table I occupied a few hours ago,"

" It's okay Hermione, you're the smartest witch I know. You'll do fine without them,"

Turning her glare towards him, he suddenly feels the urge to look anywhere but at her.

" You know I study hard, just as everyone else should, such as you Ronald," she states, eyeing him with a reproachful expression.

" I think I'll tuck in early tonight. I need to be rested if I'm going to sit for an exam for McGonagall. See you at breakfast Hermione,"

Watching Ron practically sprint for the fifth year boys dormitory, Hermione sighs, closing her Transfiguration book. Pondering what to do, she looks at the clock. She'd already finished her rounds as a prefect, and the library is not one of her patrol areas either. Debating the pros and cons, the need to have a perfect test score causes her to decide to make the trip down there by herself, reasoning that everyone is in bed at this hour.

Surveying the room, she sees that no one is currently in the common room. Standing up, she straightens her studying materials on the table, checks to make sure she has her wand, and then walks toward the portrait hole. Although the Fat Lady grumbles, she allows Hermione to exit. Taking caution, Hermione makes her way to the library under the cover of darkness, making sure not to wake any portraits who could give up her location.

" Alohomora," Hermione whispers, effectively unlocking the doors to her daytime sanctuary.

Sprinting towards her favorite spot, she finds her notes still sitting there as she had left them hours before. Snatching them up, she turns around and darts out of the doors once again. Upon locking the doors, the bushy haired witch begins her ascent to Gryffindor Tower. However, halfway to her destination, a stunning spell hits her across the back from behind. Falling to the ground onto her back, she curses herself for leaving the common room alone, thinking she would be safe. The footsteps which she had missed only moments before, become louder as the bodies move closer towards her.

" Well well, if it isn't the mudblood Granger wandering about the corridors alone," Gregory Goyle states.

" Should we leave her here for Filch to find?" Vincent Crabbe ponders outloud.

" We shall, but first, I have a better idea," Goyle says to his partner menacingly.

Aiming at her body, Goyle mutters, " Silencio,".

Taking his cue from his housemate beside him, Crabbe points his wand toward Hermione and whispers more than once, "Diffindo!"

Invisible swords cut her skin, allowing blood to begin spilling out of the openings. Seeping across the granite floor beneath her, slowly her blood paints the whole area of the corridor that her body occupies. Her muted screams visible on her face gives both boys satisfaction, which fuels them to continue.

" Bombarda," Goyle mutters, pointing his wand to aim the explosions within the silencing charm barriers.

Only when Hermione is barely breathing, do the two wizards slink off into the darkness from where they had previously come. For what seems like hours, but is really a half hour at most, Hermione lies there barely breathing, until she hears footsteps once again. Hoping that it will be someone to help her, her lungs nearly collapse at spotting the last person she thought she'd see. Standing above her, Draco Malfoy looks down at her physically weathered presence in horror.

Rooted to the spot, he stares down assessing the damage. For the longest time, he had thought that seeing Hermione Granger below him in every pain imaginable would make him elated. However, the scene before him now only makes him want to lose the contents of his stomach.

Not looking Hermione in the eye, he mutters, " Tergeo,"

Once the blood clears up, he slowly walks toward her, only to stop a few feet from her when he notices the sudden movement toward her is causing her body to convulse violently.

" Bloody hell Granger, who did this to you?"

Ignoring the fact that under normal circumstances she wouldn't have even considered letting him see her vulnerable side, logic overrules her pride. Knowing the silencing charm had worn off upon the lunatics leaving her side, she looks up at him determinedly.

" Draco, please help me,"

Those four words, although were meant to only get his attention, did more than she could have ever possibly known. No one called him Draco except his parents or a few select friends. If she dared to call him that, then she had to be desperate. Knowing that the person at his feet is one of his enemies registers for only a brief moment before the need to help her to the infirmary overrules everything. Without another thought, he walks toward her slowly, and picks her delicate body up with only minor difficulty into his arms.

The walk to the infirmary is a silent one. Upon reaching their destination, he looks down to realize that the body in his arms is completely unconscious. Having lost as much blood as she had, he is surprised it hadn't happened before he had found her. However, it still scares him to realize how lifeless she feels in his hands. Once inside the infirmary, Draco immediately begins yelling for the nurse, not caring who he wakens.

" Mr. Malfoy, what-,"

Spying the brunette witch in his arms, she immediately runs forward to begin checking her over.

" Put her over there on the cot," she designates with a pointing finger toward the last cot near the other end of the infirmary.

Placing her down, Draco steps back and watches as Madame Pomfrey begins attending to Hermione. A few healing spells later, the little witch is now awake screaming in agony as the wounds are cleaning themselves out and healing together. At that moment he knows that these screams will haunt him for a lifetime. A few minutes later, Madame Pomfrey beckons him to the young witch's bedside.

" Mr. Malfoy, I need you to hold her hand as I heal her broken ribs,"

Without protest, Draco stands up as if on autopilot and slips his fingers through hers, not caring that he had never touched a muggleborn before in his life. The screams she had emitted before are nothing compared to the ones erupting from her throat now. Holding on tightly to her slender fingers, he stands there unable to close out the sounds of the heartbreaking screams. Once Madame Pomfrey has finished, she nods at him, letting him know he may release her hand from his grip. With hesitation, he lets go of her almost limp fingers carefully.

" Miss Granger, you are lucky that Mr. Malfoy here brought you in as soon as he did. Had you lost much more blood, you would have been concealed on a cot by a white sheet until a Ministry coroner could have a look at you. Now, please get some rest. I'll be giving you a Dreamless Sleep Potion to ensure that you sleep soundlessly tonight,"

Barely moving her head, Hermione acknowledges the statement more with her eyes than body language. Turning towards the potions cabinet next to her cot, Madame Pomfrey opens it and pulls the correct vial of liquid. Walking towards the bushy haired witch who lies practically still, save for her lungs inhaling and exhaling air as she watches the world around her, Madame Pomfrey slowly administers the liquid into her mouth. Draco watches, unmoving, as if not sure of his next course of action. Once Hermione has shut her eyes, the healer turns to him and assesses the emotions upon his face.

" Mr. Malfoy, you do realize now that Miss Granger has been properly cared for, I will have to send for Professor Dumbledore immediately. Something such as this cannot be simply overlooked,"

Nodding his head, he continues to watch the young witch as she drifts off to sleep.

" I'm assuming that you were simply the person who found her in the state she arrived in?"

" That is correct,"

" Very well. I believe the Headmaster will only need a quick word with you, and then you will be allowed to head back to the dungeons. If you will give me a few moments, I will send one of the portraits in my office to wake him,"

Hardly acknowledging her exit, Draco turns his attention back towards the young woman lying in front of him. Never before had he seen the fierce little witch before him in such a state. For years he had dreamed of causing her all kinds of pain, and had attempted to with words at every turn imaginable. However, at this moment if he were being honest with himself, he would pay many a galleon to find the person who had caused her to end up this way. No one, not even one of his sworn enemies, deserved this.

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The next morning, Draco wakens to find himself still in the chair beside Hermione's bedside. Finding the cot empty, he jumps up to find the mediwitch. Before he has a chance to look much farther, the elderly woman walks out of her office.

" Mr. Malfoy, due to the circumstances and the need for secrecy, Miss Granger had to be given treatments throughout the night that sped up the process of healing. Owing to that fact, she is currently healed and on her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, as you should be as well," she looks at him, her eyes boring into him.

" Yes ma'm,"

Without another word, he turns and heads toward the Great Hall. Sliding in next to Blaise and a few other Slytherins, Draco looks over to see that Hermione truly has been healed, with no one the wiser. Despite this, the sounds of her screams are still running through his mind. As if feeling his gaze, she turns and looks at him for only a brief moment, nodding in acknowledgement of their shared moment before turning back to engage with the other Gryffindors around her. For a whole minute, the world around Draco feels like it has shifted slightly.

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Over the winter break, not much occurs in Malfoy Manor. With his father in Azkaban, Draco finds himself free to be alone most of the time. The first few nights back, he begins hearing the screams of Hermione Granger plaguing his dreams. Throughout the rest of the break, he attempts to wear himself out, so that he would not dream while sleeping. However, to no avail, every night of the first week of winter break he has a nightmare involving finding her on the floor and the subsequent pain he witnesses her in to follow.

The second week, Draco finds himself more determined than ever to find a way to rid himself of the nightmares. Becoming desperate, he sneaks into his mother's private potion stores. Thinking nothing of it, he nicks one bottle of her never ending supply of Dreamless Sleep potions. That night, for the first time in over a week, he finally sleeps without waking up in a cold sweat or tangled up with his sheets the next morning.

Despite his luck the previous day, his mother realizes someone has stolen something that is hers, and smartly puts an intricate lock on her stores that not even he can crack. The rest of the break, Draco spends attempting to think of a way to rid himself of his sleepless nights.

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The past few weeks had been none easier on Hermione than on the only other student, besides Crabbe and Goyle, who knew what had occurred right before the holidays. Throughout the holiday, she had been distant with everyone, despite participating in all the family activities. Secretly, she really wanted to tell everyone the truth, but she had sworn absolute secrecy with Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey as witnesses. With Umbridge as the current bane of their existence, no one could have allowed her to find out Hermione had been in such a state.

Each night that Hermione falls asleep, she awakens in alarm multiple times to find Ginny asleep, comfortable in her own bed. Wishing she could have the same luck, she makes herself fall back asleep, willing the nightmares to leave her be. By the time their return to Hogwarts becomes imminent, Hermione makes herself ready for what's to come. Returning to the place that stars in her nightmares every night is easier said than done. However, knowing that her best friends are returning with her as well helps the pain slightly.

The night they all return, the students are greeted with a welcoming feast once again. Everyone tucks into their meals heartily, except Hermione. With Ron digging into his food and Lavender simpering beside him, he hardly notices that Hermione has yet to touch her food. Harry, caught up in a thought that he has yet to voice does not notice either. Excusing herself, Hermione leaves the table to head back toward the common room, not waiting for anyone else. Glancing back once more before walking through the grand doors, she notices that Draco Malfoy happens to be standing up to leave as well. Seeing him is only a reminder of everything that happened to her, despite the fact that he seemed to have nothing to do with the attack. Turning away, she walks swiftly towards Gryffindor Tower. Outside in the corridor however, the blonde wizard catches up with her. Taking his arm, she walks them both to the closest abandoned classroom, and shuts the door behind her.

Turning around, she faces the person responsible for her still being able to be alive. Leaning against one of the desks, she finds him looking at her as if he is assessing her. Under his scrutiny, she suddenly feels odd. Never had he ever paid this much attention to her beyond the time it took to insult every part of her mental and physical being.

Despite everything, Hermione longs to return to how everything had been before he had saved her. To her, that part of her life made sense. Now, she felt like she owed him because he could have simply left her on the ground to die. That's what she had assumed he would do. He had surprised not only her, but himself as well when he made the decision to carry her to the infirmary. Determined to make quick work of the conversation, she raises an eyebrow at him to let him know she's ready to hear him speak.

" What I am about to tell you does not leave this room, do you understand?"

Throwing up a silencing charm, Hermione nods for him to continue.

" I need your help Granger. I can't go to anyone else, it has to be you,"

" Why is that?"

" From the moment I found you that night, I haven't slept a wink. The whole bloody holiday I spent each night awakening in a cold sweat from nightmares that all replayed the sounds of your heartbreaking screams while you were being healed, or finding you in the corridor bleeding out, or a completely worse scenario than what had actually happened. I don't know how, but if anyone can fix this, it's you. You're the smartest witch I know despite what I have-,"

Effectively cutting him off, Hermione flies across the room, stopping only to stand on her tip toes to reach the mouth currently stunned into silence at the close proximity at which they are both standing. Without another word between either of them, she presses her lips into his, not caring that only a few months ago she had wanted this very person to fall off the face of the earth. Instead of pushing her away, he winds his arms around her, once again holding her tiny but resilient body. However, despite what he had previously been taught to believe, he is absolutely sure that this encounter is just the ticket to dispelling his horrid nightmares.

 **Author's Note: So, I believe a change to the posting schedule may be in order. My work/life schedule has simply not allowed for me to post any sooner than this. Monday & Friday may be a better fit. I'm not sure yet. I suppose I'll have to figure that out as I go. On Wednesday I did have a chapter ready in waiting, but at the last second I realized I was not ready for it to be published yet. It is an important piece of Hermione and Draco's journey in this story, but it's not the flashback I felt was right. Eventually though. As for this chapter, I hope it gives a little window into how all of this began. Monday we'll be back in the present. I also went back and fixed certain time errors. I really am trying to make this story weave into the cannon, for reasons still yet to be revealed. Let me know what you think so far. :) Hope you are all having a great day/night!**


	7. Sectumsempra

The moment Harry Potter hits him with the Sectumsempra curse, Draco Malfoy believes he is done for. Vaguely aware of the screams exiting his mouth, he falls to the ground, because all he feels is pain. Blood pouring from his every orifice registers only slightly as he lies there. The last thought that runs through his mind is Hermione, his Hermione, simply smiling at him as if he had hung the stars. A few moments later everything goes black.

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Slipping through the doors to the infirmary, she walks to the bed furthest against the wall on the other end of the infirmary to find a platinum blonde haired wizard in the throes of what seems to be a nightmare.

" Stop! Please don't hurt her anymore," he cries out.

Walking towards him, Hermione sits down while lightly placing her arm on his shoulder, careful not to put too much pressure. Shaking him slowly, he begins to leave the dreamworld to enter back into reality. Opening his eyes slowly, he spies a head of bushy hair sitting next to him.

" Hermione, am I dreaming? I must be if you're still here," he says hazily.

A startled Hermione looks at him suspiciously. She had never heard him speak her first name before, despite the fact that it sounds all too familiar. Ignoring this, she gazes upon the now more slightly relaxed form of one Draco Malfoy. Previously, he had been in the throes of a nightmare which clearly had him in a right state, only to wake up and find her "still here?" What was he on about?

" Um, Malfoy, you do realize you're awake, in the infirmary? Harry hit you with a Sectumsempra curse out of that bloody book he insists on using for potions,"

Realizing her slip, she hopes that the potions he has been induced with causes him not to remember what she had just said.

" You sssshouldn't be calling me Malfoy, Hermione. My name's Draco to you," he says, slightly slurred.

" Clearly, these pain potions have messed with your mind. I think I'll be going now. I only meant to check if you're alright. Harry is in quite a state after what occurred, thinking he had killed you. I only meant to come ease his mind. I hope you feel better, Mal-Draco," she amends before standing up and leaving without a glance back.

 **Author's Note: It broke my heart a little on the inside to write this chapter, honestly. Thank you to LanaLee1 for all of your wonderful reviews! I truly adore each one. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read this story as well. :)**


	8. Ancestors, Sunnyside Up

The kiss that begins it all happens mere days before the Daily Prophet grimly proclaims the headline declaring a mass breakout by Death Eaters from Azkaban. On January 14th, 1996, owls everywhere deliver the news to every witch or wizard with a subscription, including one Hermione Granger. Upon spotting the headline, she immediately turns around looking for Draco, however he is nowhere to be seen. Looking back to their table, she sees both Harry and Ron stunned for words.

"Dumbledore has been warning Fudge this would happen. It was only a matter of time,"

"Bloody hell, look Harry," Ron says, pointing at a section of the paper.

"I don't believe this! They're blaming Sirius for the breakout!"

"Harry, think about it. It's not as if Fudge can come out and say "Dumbledore has been right all along, I should have listened to him," Sirius is merely a scapegoat in the larger picture of the Ministry attempting to hide Voldemort's return,"

Ripping the paper back, Hermione continues reading the interviews from Ministry workers and studying the pictures of each Death Eater silently. The future indeed looks ever grimmer to the young witch.

"Oh no,"

"What is it Hermione?"

Carefully lying the paper down flat again, the headline says it all.

"This is the man who was lying opposite of Lockhart when we visited St. Mungo's. We were there when the plant arrived! How could we have missed the Devil's Snare?" Harry asks, suddenly feeling as if the world had stopped turning.

"It's not as if people expect a deadly plant to arrive as a bloody present Harry,"

"This was not a simple oversight. The plant was sent anonymously, so it could have been anyone. This is murder," Hermione states quietly.

A veil of silence falls over the trio as they silently digest the information that they have just read. Taking one last look at the paper, she then leaps to her feet upon a sudden realization.

"Where are you headed?"

"The Owlery to send off a letter. I'm not sure if it will work, but I'm willing to try," Hermione says in a rushed tone, running off.

Out of earshot of everyone else, Hermione walks towards her destination, determined to send off a letter that may or may not benefit multiple persons involved. With nearly everyone in the Great Hall, she is surprised to find that she is not alone in the Owlery. Standing on the other end of the small circular tower happens to be none other than the person she had been attempting to avoid the past couple of days. Hearing footsteps, Draco looks up to see the bushy haired witch glancing at him tentatively.

"You've been avoiding me, Granger," he states passively, turning his gaze back to the task of attaching a letter to his owl.

Walking towards the other end, Hermione sets her bag down, before pulling out parchment and a quill. Trying to still the rapid beating in her heart, she turns around to look up at the boy who currently has his eyes narrowed at her, his face set in a tight frown. Looking away, Hermione attempts to collect the thoughts swirling in her mind.

"I will not be ignored when you're bloody standing right in front of me!"

"I'm not ignoring you-,"

"Oh really, then what should it be called when one purposely chooses not to talk to someone in public or private then, hmm? Do you think this is some kind of game Granger? Did you think it would be funny to snog me, and then act as if I didn't even exist? Is this some sort of payback for every-,"

"Draco," Hermione says quietly.

Despite being in mid tirade, his mouth halts in movement as grey eyes meet brown, and for a moment the Owlery is silent. Stepping tentatively towards him, Hermione watches the visible changes in his appearance as she comes closer. She hears his breath hitch, but still continues to walk forward slowly. Stopping right beside him, she reaches out and threads her fingers through his, smiling when he doesn't cringe at her grasp.

"Now that you're calm, will you please listen?"

Not trusting his words, he simply nods slightly to indicate that she may continue.

"You must understand that for the past four and a half years, I've known where I stand with you. The side I've seen has always been cruel and angry. In the past few weeks, I've seen a sliver of a much more pleasant side of you. I don't regret what has happened between us, you know. I'd also be lying if I say that I don't want to become more acquainted with the part of you that seems to not be severely repulsed with my company. However, I'm simply terrified that this is all some kind of act, for reasons yet unknown to me," she finishes, looking at the ground.

"Granger, I've been raised from the day I could walk and talk to dislike anyone who is not of pure blood. The elitist ideals are not an option in my family, but the law. Having that mindset being ground into me, I was led to believe that all muggleborns are inferior to those of us born with "good breeding." That is, until you defied every logic that had ever been presented before me. Do you realize that you are the only one standing between me being the highest ranked witch or wizard in our year?"

"It's hard not to when we compete at everything,"

"Do you know what I would give to simply be top of our year for once, so my father will finally stop berating me for being bested by a "stupid mudblood,"?

Tensing at the word, she looks up at him, noting the way his eyes soften when she trains her gaze upon him.

"Is that what you believe I am still?"

"What's the point of having pure blood if you're as thick as bricks? I'll have you just the way you are any day," he whispers softly in her ear.

"Do you truly mean that?"

"I swear on all of my inheritance that you are perfect just the way you are, despite being an insufferable know it all," he teases lightly.

"I believe the earth just shook as all of your ancestors roll over in their graves,"

"Let them. This doesn't concern them,"

"What is _this_ exactly?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

For the first time ever, Hermione answers a question not with a long winded explanation, but with a simple kiss on the lips.


	9. The Task

Leaning against the cool glass of a window in one of the lavatories not haunted by a student long gone, the 6th year Slytherin with the bleach blonde hair breathes heavily, attempting to reign in his emotions. For the past few hours, he had been losing the contents of his stomach in his stress surrounding the coming task. Knowing that there's no turning back now, he uses what little strength he has left to push away from the wall and leave the bathroom, en route to the Room of Requirement.

Walking down the dimly lit corridor, Draco Malfoy feels the tremors rolling through the very fibers of his being. This is the moment of truth, the event that has been planned out since before the start of term for this school year; Dumbledore's death. It is his duty to his family to carry out the plan, despite wanting to do anything but. While he had definitely not grown a soft spot for the prejudice old coot, he also does not fancy the idea of murdering any human being in cold blood. Upon finding the Room of Requirement, Draco walks in to find a handful of Voldemort's followers standing before him, staring at him as if they'd all just won a large prize.

"Well done, Draco," Alecto Carrow says.

"I didn't think you had it in you. The Dark Lord is quite pleased I was wrong," Amycus Carrow states.

"Thank you, both of you,"

"Well, get on with it boy," Fenrir sneers.

"I'll see you all once the task is complete,"

Turning around, Draco steels himself to attempt what has been set before him. He realizes this is no longer a question or a choice, but merely a hard reality.

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Fleeing the school, Draco takes one last look at his home away from home, before turning his back on it. He had come this far now, and he couldn't change his future. He had wanted to take Dumbledore's offer more than anything. Had the other Death Eaters not barged in, he knew that he would have.

"Draco, we do not have time for you to dawdle. Your sentimentality is not appreciated at this moment," Severus Snape says, quickly walking ahead of him.

"Yes sir,"

In a brisk running pace, both Death Eaters run off into the unknown future ahead.

 **Author's note: So, I have toyed with this chapter for over a month, not happy with anything I had constructed. A lot more to come for this story as well! :)**


	10. Stargazing

" When you look up at the night sky, what do you see?" Hermione murmurs from beside Draco.

For a moment, the blonde contemplates the words set before him. What did he see, one could wonder? Descended from the Black family line, his name, like his relatives before him, had a meaning taken from the a constellation in the sky. Is this what caused him to always train his gaze upon the stars above for answers? For once, he couldn't be sure. All he knows is that when the rest of the world is chaos, they are always the one constant in his life.

" Stability," he murmurs in truth.

Turning out of his embrace, Hermione turns onto her stomach on the blanket underneath them both on the floor of the Astronomy Tower, while propping her head gently into her hands to look straight into his eyes, which are bright and expectant.

" When you look at me, what do you see?"

Gulping, Draco looks around, as if the correct answer will just pop out of thin air. How is he supposed to answer her? They'd secretly been seeing each other for nine months now. Gone already are his old preconceived misconceptions that she is inferior, replaced with new emotions he could hardly understand. Coupled with being a randy hormonal adolescent, it never made for a good combination. However, so far, he had kept himself in check. He knows that the fallout of this relationship had so much more at stake than broken hearts. Silently, he wills himself to find words to respond, before he puts her off into thinking he doesn't care.

Cupping her left cheek with his right hand, he gazes into her eyes, noticing how lovely they look gazing at only him. The thought of her doing this with anyone else, especially Potter or Weasley, made him shudder internally. Although he would not admit it, the fact that they were able to spend unlimited time with the witch in front of him made him slightly barmy.

" My world," he whispers softly into her right ear.

Shivering at the sensations that stem from the breath rushing over her, she looks up at him surprised by the candid manner in which he is acting tonight. Not an overly romantic person, Draco chooses his moments carefully. Before either could say anything to tarnish the moment, Hermione captures his lips against her own, and kisses her boyfriend with a fervor.

Deepening the kiss, both shiver and moan lightly, pulling each other even closer. Now, completely wrapped in a lover's embrace, each feel their bodies relaxing against one another's touch. Never had either been this close to any one person in their entire life. At this moment, they were each separately glad that this moment is being spent with each other.

Minutes later, as the sensations begin to become more than either can bare, the rational part of Draco's brain overrides the notions within his body, urging him to continue. Despite wishing that he could let it go on, he knows that he should pull their embrace apart, before something happens that neither of them can take back. As they disentangle, each releases a ragged breath, attempting to steady their rapidly beating hearts. Pulling her against him, she hears the rapid pace slow down, and with it, so does hers.

Absentmindedly, he pulls the hair out of her face, making sure to properly arrange and attempt to smooth the frizzy disarray. He never understood how she manages to tame the monstrosity she calls her hair, while still making it look presentable each day. It is one of the many reasons he has for considering her a truly gifted witch, among others.

" I know you don't like talking about what is to come-,"

" Then don't Hermione. I've done all of the talking I can,"

Suddenly, both tense, and the air around them seems as if it is crackling with electricity.

" You know there are people who would help you, bring you over to our side, if you let them,"

" And let my parents die? I think not. We've had this discussion before, and I'm through. If you don't like what I'm doing, you know where the door is,"

" Don't say that. You don't get to act like that when just moments ago, we-,"

" We what Granger? Snogged. Last time I checked, people do that all of the time without feeling a damn thing," he spouts out callously, blinded by the building anger he feels inside.

" Stop it Draco. Quit acting like a git. I only want to help you,"

" No matter what you say Hermione, you know what my answer will always be. I have to do this. I have absolutely no choice. You knew this about me, from the moment we chose to take up this fledgling relationship and let it mean something. If you wish to back out now, I'll understand. If you choose to stay though, please for the love of Merlin and all that Muggles hold holy, let my duties to my family be a moot point. I have yet to interfere or question your side in this war. We both know our fates, without needing to bring them to light constantly. As much as I wish I had a choice, I simply don't. It's all or nothing with me, love. That has always been our bargain,"

" That may be, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Every day Harry rambles on about how he knows you're a Death Eater, and so forth. Whether or not this is completely true, you have never fully disclosed. However, I'm not daft. People do not call me the brightest witch of our age because I act like Lavender Brown, chasing after trousers at every chance she comes upon. I have more intellect than that. Do you know how hard it is to listen to the accusations and not be able to defend you, because deep down, I know that they're right!"

" No one is making you stay, Granger. You are welcome to leave at any moment, and that includes this one!" he jumps up, angrily turning away.

Ignoring his comment, she jumps up as well and jerks on his shirt hard to get his attention. When he turns around, his eyes are bright and glinting dangerously. She knows that she has slipped into precarious waters, but she wasn't proclaimed Gryffindor because her hair complimented the house colors.

" Do you know how hard it is knowing that you don't want to be involved, knowing that you're only doing this because a mad man is threatening to kill your family, and not be able to coerce you to reach out for help when it is right within your grasp?" she whispers dangerously, standing up to her full height against the taller man in front of her.

" I don't know how else to make you understand. I have no choice!"

" We all have choices Draco!"

" You couldn't possibly understand, because you have never been in my position before. I can't believe I was foolish enough to think that this could work. If Voldemort doesn't do me in first, you're going to be the death of me, you will," Draco says, sighing into the hand he pulls in front of his face.

" You don't really mean that, do you?"

" That one day you'll be the death of me? Of course Granger, you drive me barmy,"

" That's not what I meant and you know it," her voice suddenly becoming very quiet.

Taking a look at the damage in her eyes, Draco swallows his pride and walks closer towards her. Slowly, he pulls her into his arms, and wraps them tightly around her.

" You and I both know that we'd be better off if we had never met one another, simply because we're too opposite,"

Choosing not to say anything, she continues to listen. Taking her silence as an opening to speak, Draco begins again.

" This doesn't mean that I'm not willing to still continue to try. But dammit, when I ask you to let it lie, please listen. I'm not asking to be cruel, I'm asking to protect you. I do what I do for a reason, Hermione. Since the moment I found you lying on the floor, all but lifeless, something changed. I refuse to ever let that happen to you again if I can help it. One day, I hope that you'll see this,"

Softly, he kisses her on the forehead. Allowing a few more moments in his arms, he nods and gently pulls away.

" I suppose I have no choice but to attempt to see it your way, because that's the only option you are giving me,"

" For good reason. Now, we should probably sneak back to our dormitories before we're caught up here. I don't fancy attempting to explain to Filch why the two prefects are out past curfew with a blanket spread beneath them. If we are to continue this, we need to be more discreet. The risks are higher now than ever before. Please take caution on your way back, love. I'll be behind you in a bit," he states, and then places a soft kiss upon her lips, before sending her off.

Once she leaves, instead of turning in for the night, he chooses to look up at the stars for a bit longer. Somewhere up there, he hopes that whatever fate could possibly smile upon him, would choose to do so soon. Despite the stand he took with Hermione minutes before, he could feel his resolve against her pleas threatening to crack him to his very core.


	11. Montage of Months

Draco sits in his room, grateful for a few moments of peace from the unrelenting stares of disappointment from his family, and the quiet sadness with which his mother carries herself. Now well into the summer, the shame of Draco's failure had not been forgotten, despite Snape having succeeded in completing the heinous task for him. While Voldemort did not manage to have the boy killed when attempting to murder Dumbledore, he had found many other ways in which to attempt to break the boy from inside and out as punishment. To say that the past few weeks had not been a picnic, would have been putting it mildly.

At every chance she had, his Aunt Bellatrix would add fuel to the fire, blatantly reminding him of his failures. Neither his parents or the Dark Lord would stop her when she would choose to torture him with the Cruciatus Curse, or send him to do her bidding. Even if his mother had wanted to, she could not shame herself any further by ordering Bella to cease her maltreatment of her son. Instead, she found other ways to undermine her sister's authority, such as healing Draco when no other Death Eaters were in sight.

Unknown to most, Narcissa had become a skilled healer, using her powers only when need be. Despite what most people had believed, being the favorite of her mother's had come at a price. While being highly favored, she also felt the weight of the most criticism, and a backlash when she did not exceed expectations. Where she had two other sisters to divert attention onto occasionally, her poor son had no one. She would be damned if her sister ever came close to breaking her son, because if it came to that point, she would sacrifice herself to save her only child.

A quiet knock at the door brings his attention to the threshold of his bedroom, where the door slowly opens, revealing his mother standing in the hall. Once inside the room, she seals the entrance behind her with a soft locking charm.

"Draco, you didn't attend dinner,"

"I'm not hungry," Draco replies in near monotone.

"Whether you are or not, it does not matter. You need your strength dear. Bella is looking for any sign of weakness within you. Your body cannot afford to be malnourished, if you plan on surviving,"

Silence envelopes the room as Draco makes no move to reply to the statement she has left hanging in the air. It does not take long for his mother to realize his intentions for his future.

"Son, our existence may seem sub par at the current moment, but it will become worthwhile once again. Your life is worth saving, whether you believe so or not. I have not sacrificed my life for you, to witness you throw it away, as if your whole existence up to this point has been in vain. Whether your father and I survive matters not, as long as you do. A parent should never outlive their own child," Narcissa warns quietly.

Turning over, the blonde haired young man makes it clear that he does not think along the same lines.

"Do not act as if I am not sitting right behind you Draco. That is a poor way to repay me for everything that I have accomplished for you,"

At this, Draco whips around, fixing his mother with a hard stare. Standing up, he looks at her as if he will actually burst.

"What is it dragon?"

"All you have done for me? That's a laugh. A riot, really."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard what I just said Mother,"

Standing up to her full height, Narcissa glares over at him, causing him to back up only slightly. However, he does not change his position.

"Enlighten me darling on what you mean by your previous statement,"

"Of all the people that could have prevented these events, it is you. If you would have simply never visited Snape, then I could have either died the night on my attempt or-."

"Or what? Defected to the other side?"

"It would be loads better than my existence here! Everyday, I hope that Aunt Bella will have the mercy to simply send a killing curse my way, because what you do not understand is that I no longer have anything to live for!"

The resounding crack of a slap across the face reverberates through the room as Narcissa reaches for Draco's left cheek, contacting squarely against his jaw.

"Do not ever speak or let those words cross through your thoughts ever again. I know the past few weeks have been excruciating, believe me. I take no pleasure in witnessing my only child in unbearable pain. However, I did not raise you to be a victim or a defeatist. Whether your father and I survive the next year does not matter, so long as you rise out of this to become a decent human being. One day, the world will not be the way it is now, and you will thrive. Do not give up when you have so much more to live for. Do you understand me Draco?"

Rubbing his cheek, he looks up at his mother solemnly and nods his head in acceptance of her words.

"I love you Draco. Everything I have ever done, since the moment you were born, has been for you. To the best of my ability, I have been there for you in every way I am able. One day when you have children, you will understand. Now, I must return to my sleeping quarters before anyone notices my absence. Goodnight dear. I will see you in the morning. Sleep well."

Without another word, she exits the room, leaving her son behind to ponder over her words.

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Weeks go by following Narcissa's lecture, and because of her push, he continues on. His whole reasoning for his ongoing pursuit to attempt to kill Dumbledore had been solely for his parents, more so his mother. Once the task had been botched, he felt that he had lost everything, as if losing Hermione weeks before had not been enough. Not only did the possibility of his parents being murdered in cold blood by Voldemort become an even closer reality, but he had also lost any chance of the other side ever allowing him to switch allegiances. With Dumbledore gone, no one would believe that he had had a change of heart now.

However, he still follows his mother's advice every day during the summer from that point on, rising out of bed, and greeting the day with the resolve to move forward. His aunt sensing his determination harden, begins attempting to find other ways to break him down. Had it not been for the simple fact that he is a skilled Occlumens, he believes she would have discovered his best kept secret from the whole of the Wizarding World.

Despite wishing he could be far away with Hermione anyplace but where he currently resides, he finds that he is able to focus his mind and clear away his thoughts and emotions regarding her, as is necessary. Since his arrival back at Malfoy Manor, he had thought of her, wishing that there had been another way. Even though he had reconciled with the turn of events long ago, he still wondered if some day he could break the spell, allowing them to continue on. At the latest hours of each evening and into the long mornings he occasionally spent pondering over the idea, even he knew it would be a long shot.

As the autumn months arrive, the restlessness within him to know how Hermione Granger is faring, causes thoughts of her to plague his mind more than they ought to. He knows that he is being reckless, but after being cooped up in the Manor for so long, he is becoming stir crazy. Thinking of the witch that he loves is far easier than allowing thoughts of the current state of his home life to enter his mind.

Hearing the news that the Weasley's older brother's wedding had been crashed and that subsequently she, along with Potter and Weasley had escaped, makes him internally happy with glee. However, the next thought that had entered his mind was intense worry. Just in August, her name had been written in The Daily Prophet as one of the muggleborns wanted for questioning. Knowing that there were people out there hunting for her dead or alive, made him want to vomit, whenever the predicament crossed his mind. The thought of her being captured by any Death Eaters runs chills up his spine, particularly one Bellatrix Lestrange.

Upon returning to Hogwarts, he is immediately grateful to have set foot onto the soil of the school grounds. Despite this, he had looked forward to this year least of all, simply because now the dynamic of the school would be completely changed. This year, he had already known would be different, simply because Severus Snape would be the residing headmaster. The Carrow siblings also returned to Hogwarts with Snape and Draco, making it harder for him to hide his every move from Voldemort, which he is sure had been the point all along. No longer caring what anyone else did, Draco's primary focus is keeping himself sane, while also attempting to pretend that outwardly he is still the same person he had been two years previously.

Over the next few weeks, the castle takes on a dreary quality to it, owing to the fact that from the inside out it is infested with dark magic while housing the Carrows. Not only does Voldemort expect them to use fear tactics to scare the remaining students still attempting to attend classes, but he also allows them to use whatever means necessary to make the students cooperate. Two particular students who Draco finds himself silently rooting for are Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom.

While the members of Dumbledore's Army all give the Carrows a run for their money in different ways, despite knowing that they could be tortured, Weasley and Longbottom give them a special brand of mischief. They are quite determined to enjoy what little they could out of the worst school year that any of the current students attending Hogwarts had ever had.. While neither of the two could be pinned down to any one incident, they still take the punishment they receive without backing down, much to the Carrows dismay.

With the school year in full steam, the holidays come more quickly than Draco had been anticipating. At first believing he would have the option to choose to stay within Hogwarts as the years before, this idea is quickly thrown out the window once he receives a letter from his mother informing him that he is requested to reside within Malfoy Manor for the whole winter break. Dreading the two weeks in which he will have to return to the Manor, the only consolation he can give himself is that he will hear news of the Golden Trio quicker from within the confines of his home, rather than waiting for the tiny snippets that he had been able to gleen at his time during the first term of their supposed seventh year.

HMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDM

The coming weeks take on the same tone as the ones before the start of term. Although this time, Draco returns to the Manor for winter break more prepared than he had been previously. Bellatrix's spells have no effect on him the way they had before, because for the first time in a while, he had a tiny shred of hope that Hermione and her two friends would succeed, thus freeing the rest of the Wizarding World from the current dictatorship that they are in. If he had faith in anything or any one person, it would always be the curly headed witch, who still carries his heart with her wherever she is, without even realizing it.

When the start of a new term dawns, Draco is grateful for an excuse to leave the confines of the Manor, despite knowing this would effectively cut off the tiny bit of information he had been able to receive simply by listening when others would speak. For weeks following his return, the flow of information all but comes to a halt. Even Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom seem to have reached a low point within themselves, because their punishments are few and far between as the days continue on, and more vicious than before when they do occur. The approach of Easter holiday makes Draco suddenly glad that he is able to return home, if only to simply hear that somewhere out there Hermione and her friends are still fighting.

If Draco had thought that the current holiday would have been like the previous one before, he had been completely wrong. One evening, halfway through the week, he is brought into the drawing room of the Manor to identify none other than Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter.

 **Author's Note: I just want to say that I am truly grateful for everyone who has favorited or followed this or any of my other stories. I realize that some of the chapters are rough, and need more editing. I promise in due time when I have completed the stories in their entirety, I will go through and make them even more beautiful. :) I hope you are enjoying them at this current time, nonetheless!**


	12. Of Monsters and Boys

The emotional stress has finally become too much for Hermione Granger. Spotting her best friend kissing none other than Lavender Brown after the last Gryffindor match of the year had been the last straw for her, simply because it is only another reminder of how she wishes she could be able to do the same with her boyfriend, Draco Malfoy. While everyone else is left believing she has an unrequited love in the red haired ginger that is Ronald Weasley, the bushy haired witch is left crying alone in an empty classroom over a completely different boy.

Although the mystery still remains, somehow Hermione knows that her Slytherin boyfriend had been involved in the attack that had put Katie Bell into St. Mungo's almost a week prior to tonight. Ever since the incident, he has been avoiding her, which alone proves her suspicion to be true. Not to mention the fact that Harry and Ron have been discussing at length Draco and every possible way he could have been involved. Sadly she knows that they are not far off the mark, even if she has no actual proof. However, a large part of her is secretly glad that she has no proof to tie him to the incident. Despite knowing that this is what she had signed up for when she had decided to give even a tiny piece of her heart to the boy with the bleach blonde hair, it still did not make it any easier.

At this point she had hoped that she would have been able to convince him to consider helping The Order of the Phoenix, but he held firm to his convictions. No matter how important she is in his life, his parents still come first, a fact that she didn't fault him for. Had the roles been reversed, she is sure she would do anything to protect her parents, no matter what the costs. Even so, she wishes she could find a way to save his soul, and his parents.

Having sat in the empty classroom crying for a few minutes already, she glances around the room, deciding to make use of her anger. Choosing to direct it elsewhere, she pulls out her wand to practice spells. Aiming into the air, she yells out clearly, "Avis!"

From the tip of her wand, a multitude of birds shoot out with a resounding bang. Aiming them toward the opposite wall on the other end of the room, she then yells, "Oppugno!"

Hearing a creak, Hermione turns about face only to spy Harry entering through the door she had stumbled through minutes before. As Harry crosses the distance between them, the birds fly straight into the opposite wall, then promptly disappearing in bursts of feathers on impact. Attempting to wipe away the tears from her face, she half smiles in Harry's direction as he pulls her into a strong bear hug, nearly choking the life out of her. Batting him away playfully, she stands up straight once again and looks into the green eyes of her other best friend.

"Forget Ron right now Hermione. He's not worth crying over. He's my best mate, but you could do loads better than kissing that bloke, trust me,"

"Are you telling me that you would know?" she smirks at him, walking over to sit on top of one of the desks before them.

Not even having a chance to answer properly, a noisy clang of the door jolts them both to look up, spotting none other than the last two people they want to see at this point in time.

"Oh look Ronald it's your two best friends. Perhaps we should give them some privacy and find our own classroom to occupy, as they both have," Lavender says in a maliciously annoying voice.

Without thinking, Hermione pulls her wand out using the spell combination she had been practicing before any of them had entered the room. Shocked that Hermione would ever raise her wand to him, Ron simply stands there open mouthed. That is, until the birds come flying towards them, causing him to quickly close the door that they had entered through. As it shuts, the birds collide with it and they all disappear into explosions of feathers.

"Well, if I ever need a flock of birds for any reason, I will definitely let you know," Harry jokes, putting his arm around his other best friend.

"I promise that was a one off. I just could not stand to hear her awful voice any longer. I'll be fine Harry,"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," she replies, linking her arm around him and giving him a hug, before disentangling herself from his grasp.

Opening the door to the classroom, they both walk out, talking and laughing. Neither of them notice the blonde haired boy in the shadows, silently glaring at the pair from his vantage point directly behind them.

HMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHM

A few days later, Hermione is walking back to her dormitory after dinner in the Great Hall, when a tall figure walks up beside her. Looking up, she recognizes the one person she has been most anxious to see for nearly two weeks. Other than glancing at each other occasionally when they are in the Great Hall or in a class together, neither of them had interacted beyond that. For him to be this close, even in a nearly deserted hallway, bespeaks of how risky he is willing to be at the current moment.

"I need to speak with you, now," he whispers hurriedly.

"Draco, it's too early, someone might-."

"I'm not giving you an option Hermione. Come with me, now."

Glancing up at him, she spies the set in his jaw and realizes there's no arguing with him at this point. When his mind is set, he will go to any lengths to achieve his goal. Following his lead, she allows him to take her to an empty classroom, and promptly seal the door behind them. As he turns around, she sees the look in his eyes, and the tensing in his shoulders.

"What is it Draco, what's wrong?"

"When were you going to tell me that something is going on between you and Potter?"

"Wait, what?" Hermione blurts out.

"Don't play stupid with me. I saw you both a few nights ago, coming out of an empty classroom, too close and chummy to merely have been talking in there. I always knew that this would eventually come to an end, but cheating on me with Potter? That's beneath even you,"

"How dare you! I would never-"

"Oh really? Is that why when I walked down the corridor I heard that wench Lavender Brown talk about you two finding a classroom for yourselves, or am I merely deaf as well as blind now?"

"Would you listen-"

"No, I will not! I have done all the listening I can, and I am sick of it! How could you do this to me? Out of every bloody person you could have cheated on me with, it had to be bloody Harry Potter, boy wonder of the Wizarding World? I suppose it is just as well, considering I'll never be as good for you-."

"Expecto Patronum!" Hermione yells, grateful he had put up silencing charms.

Out of her wand bursts a beautiful bright light that quickly takes the shape of a massive creature, filling a good portion of the room in front of them. The sound of her voice and the light expanding in front of him causes Draco to cease with his monologue, only to find himself staring at Hermione's patronus; a dragon.

"How is that possible? Your patronus has always been an otter," Draco stutters out, absolutely flabbergasted.

"Do you believe me now Draco? I'm not sneaking behind your back with Harry. I never have, and I most certainly never will. You have your friends, and I have mine. I still love you, and only you. That's why, despite there being numerous reasons as to why we should not be together, I still stay with you! How else could my patronus possibly have changed, you bloody idiot!"

Marveling at the majestic creature before him, he peers over at Hermione with a look of wonder on his face. Once the patronus has been dispelled a few moments later, it takes him all of two seconds to fly across the remaining distance between them, to wrap his arms tightly around the bushy haired witch. Leaning down he captures her lips in a fiery kiss that rivals any previously shared between them both. Pressing as close as physically possible to each other, both entwine themselves within the other's arms, kissing as if they would die should the fire between their tongues extinguish.

 **Author's Note: Ahh, the green eyed monster that is jealousy and a young lovers quarrel. Thank you to those who have followed and reviewed the story! I hope you'll enjoy what is to come. :)**


	13. Among The Vipers

Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune, sits in his chair in front of the fire shivering within himself. Greyback and the Snatchers have just returned with the three he knows to undoubtedly be the Golden Trio, despite wishing with all his heart that it couldn't be them. The hungry glint that shines brightly in the werewolf's eyes each time he glances at Hermione is enough for him to lose the meager contents of his stomach. Listening to those around him speaking, he secretly wishes he could find a way to help them escape, even if it did not involve him at all.

Breaking him out of his reverie, he spies his mother and father beckoning for him to advance closer to the three. The barrier between his ability to discern their words and his own thoughts running through his mind breaks, allowing him to realize that they want him to identify the two wizards and witch before him. Now, would be the moment of truth. Could he contain his emotions long enough to find a way to allow the Trio to escape?

"Is it them Draco? Are these Potter and his friends?"

Glancing up at the desperate light in his father's eyes, he then turns away. In doing so, he locks gazes with Harry Potter long enough to share a brief frightened look between them. The sight of Hermione lying on the floor beside Potter, with the same look she had the night he found her after she had been tortured within an inch of her life, is enough for him to break the mold and shield her from every person in this room who would do her harm. However, he knows that the only way to save her is by indifference. If any of the Death Eaters were to know the truth, both of them would be dead without so much as another breath. Swivelling around, he blocks his mind to the tide threatening to break loose within himself, as well as guarding from any unwanted intruders into his thoughts.

"Draco?" Narcissa asks, her eyes begging him to make the choice she believes will save them all.

"I'm not for certain," Draco responds, slowly, as he continues to reign himself in.

"It must be them, boy. Look at the mark there upon Potter's head. It has to be the scar!"

"Possibly, but how can we be sure? They could easily be imitations of the real trio. After all, Potter may be an imbecile, but he wouldn't be so ignorant as to be caught now,"

"I say we call for the Dark Lord, regardless of what Draco says," Bellatrix states from the other side of the room.

"This is my house, and we will do as I say, Bellatrix," Lucius states, before facing his sister in law.

"If we do not deliver Potter to the Dark Lord it could mean certain death for all of us!" she replies back, more fervently.

The bickering continues on, but Draco tunes it out, knowing that their deliberation could last for hours. Turning away to the window, Draco notices Dobby walking by, overlooked by all others in the room. The sight of his former House Elf gives him an idea. The first he'd been able to formulate that didn't involve his own demise, since the trio had been delivered to the Drawing Room. A rough shove from someone behind him, coupled with Bellatrix speaking to him directly causes him to look up at her, while he realizes everyone else is backing themselves nearer to the outer perimeter of the room.

"Draco, deal with the bodies out back, if you aren't too much of a lost cause to stomach such a simple task. Meanwhile, I shall have my fun with this Mudblood right here," Bellatrix orders, causing his blood to run cold.

His worst fears have come to fruition. Against every nerve in his body, Draco forces himself to pivot about towards the door that leads to the garden, exiting the room as quickly as possible without raising any suspicions. Blood pounding through his ears, he barely makes it out before he hears Bellatrix bellowing at Hermione, the first Crucio upon her lips not far behind.

Failing to remember that he had spotted Dobby, the blonde haired wizard leans up against the outer wall, out of sight of any prying eyes. Free to let himself go for a moment, he allows himself to break down, sobbing quietly as he listens to the terrifying screams of Hermione Granger. Physically, he can feel the pain coursing through him as each shriek rents its way through the air, jeopardizing the last shreds of the sanity he had previously held onto so carefully.

The sharp tug on his jacket causes him to leap away from the wall, hoping that he had not dismissed the sound of someone exiting his home. Turning around, he finds himself face to face with Dobby. Wiping away the tears, he locks gazes with the equally saddened eyes of the now freed house elf.

"Young mister Draco cares for young Miss Granger?" the elf asks quietly, understanding the need for secrecy.

Nodding slowly, he lets the first being besides Blaise in on his best kept secret.

"Please tell me that you can help them Dobby. Do not let them die here. If they do, we are all surely doomed," Draco pleads, before removing the last traces of his sobbing frenzy.

"Dobby will set Harry Potter and his friends free. Miss Granger will survive. This, Dobby promises," he replies knowingly.

"Remember when I was small, and you entertained me by turning invisible?" Draco asks, a plan spinning within his brain in full motion now.

"Dobby remembers,"

"Can you follow me back inside using that same method? Somehow, I will let you down in the cellar where they are being held captive. If I do so, will you please take it from there?"  
"Dobby can. Whenever young mister Malfoy is ready, sir," Dobby replies, bowing before the teenage wizard, as he had only for one other.

"Let's go,"

Gliding back towards the entrance, he hardens the outer mask upon his face, hell bent on saving Hermione and her friends. As Draco steps through the threshold, all eyes lock with his own, causing him to shift his gaze to focus on closing the door behind him. Knowing Dobby had followed him in, the weight on his shoulders becomes only that much lighter.

"Ah Draco, so good of you to reenter the room at this moment. If you could, fetch the Goblin who is below us in the basement. We require his assistance," his father says, avoiding looking at the ground where Hermione lies below Draco's deranged aunt.

Dipping his head, the Slytherin makes haste for the cellar, knowing this may be the only shot that they will be afforded. Opening the door, he walks down the rickety stairs, shakily calling out for Griphook to follow him back up into the room above. Allowing enough time for Dobby to follow him into the darkness that surrounds them, the young heir closes the door behind him once he is positive that the little elf has made it safely within. Once the entry to the basement is sealed, he hears the quiet but joyous greetings of the occupants reuniting below. Breathing an internal sigh of relief, he turns back to the scene before him, waiting for the plan to culminate in the trio's favor.

As if happening in slow motion, the events that follow do not altogether register within his mind as being real, at first. Only when Dobby has successfully left with the other three in tow, does he allow himself to turn away from the scene. No one attempts to thwart his movements, as they are all too preoccupied with the loss that they have just endured.

 **Author's Note: Here we are five weeks from my last post, and I absolutely cannot thank everyone who has followed, reviewed, or favorited this story enough! However, I shall do so once again. THANK YOU! You truly have made this story even more special to me than it already had been before. I have held off on updating, simply because I wanted to make sure that I did not muss up that chapter anymore than I possibly could. It is a pivotal point in canon, and especially here as well. This story is far from over, and probably the longest venture of all my open novel length fics. So I hope you all stay tuned for more! XOXO**


	14. Party Woes

"You're going to what?" Draco questions, leaning up against a bookshelf buried in the maze that makes up the Hogwarts library with his arms crossed tensely.

"Slughorn's Christmas Party. It's not that I really want to go, but-"

Sighing, the blonde runs a hand through his this hair, while surveying the disaster that is the table his girlfriend currently occupies.

"I know. Potter needs at least one of his sidekicks, or-"

"Draco Malfoy." Hermione states firmly, not even looking up from her current reading material.

"Don't worry get your knickers in a wad, Granger."

Bending down, he swoops in and plants a kiss on her cheek before returning to his previous position.

"Don't be a prat then."

"It's as if you don't know me at all," he teases, the trademark smirk gracing upon his lips.

Acknowledging his statement by smiling and shaking her head in his direction, the bushy haired witch then returns to her work, allowing a blanket of calm to settle over them. The scratching of her quill as she hastily scribes notes to read later is the only other sound, save for scraping chairs and pages turning in other areas of the room.

For a while, the Slytherin shifts between openly staring at the witch in front of him and attempting not to lose his mind in all of the silence. To him, silence reminds him of the days at the Manor, ones which he does not wish to repeat. There had been a time when he had enjoyed every second that was spent in his childhood home. That is, until Voldemort had happened. Even the simple thought of the man he once revered, but now loathes, presses him to break the quiet cadences.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"Promise me one thing love. Even though I am unable to attend that dreadful party, I beg of you, give Weasley hell. From what I am told, disregarding the inexcuse for his massively large ginger cranium, he deserves it as well."

"What are you suggesting Draco?" Hermione asks, smirking after she drops the quill onto her current page.

"Since I cannot accompany you, ask another wizard that will drive him off his rocker."

"That is," she pauses, putting a hand to her cheek, "an absolutely wonderful idea. I know exactly who to ask."

"Pity I can't attend myself, because that would really drive him mad."

"Pity, indeed," she laments quietly, before returning to her work.

HGDMHGDM

"Hermione?"

"Oh thank goodness it's only you," she responds quickly, after recognizing the body attached to the voice.

Worry and anxiety etched into his face, the Slytherin regards his girlfriend's grimace turned smile warily.

"You look as if someone has given you a fright."

"That Cormac McLaggen had me on my toes all night, fending off his snog attacks."

"If I could tell the world you were mine, he would not have dared touched you. I'm sorry about your evening love. Come here,"

Opening his arms, Hermione willingly walks into them, appreciative of the familiar embrace now encircling her. Breathing in his scent, the anxiousness she had previously felt, disappears in no more than a few seconds. Kissing the top of her head, Draco continues to hold her as close as he is physically able. For a few moments, both allow themselves to enjoy the calm surrounding them, away from prying eyes.

"Draco?" Hermione whispers into his chest.

"Hm?"

"If you wish to be more secretive, I would bar hallway conversations entirely," Hermione states quietly, without looking up.

As almost an immediate response, his body tenses up, while still continuing to hold the witch within his arms.

"I'll try to remember that," he replies stiffly.

At the other end of the corridor, hidden within the shadows, a grim faced Cormac McLaggen stares angrily at the couple embraced further down the hall.

 **Author's Note: Hi everyone! As per shellyshook's request, I curbed my procrastination slightly sooner than normal. I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter, and caught the plot twist that began it all. Thank you once again to anyone who has followed or favorited this story. A special thank you to shellyshook and laxgirl1415 for reviewing! Reviews are like the cream to my coffee. So, if you enjoy the story, by all means, please let me know. We are nearing the end of Part 1 of this story, which has 4 parts in total. It is a very long planned out fic, so please bear with me. I will be editing part 1 before I begin part 2, so a few chapters will look a bit different quite soon. Follow me on Tumblr at hollysparkswrites, if you wish for updates on this and other stories, as well as random Dramione/Merthur/Miscellaneous spam. Anyways, ta ta for now. :)**


	15. The Nearing of A Storm's End

Staring down at the picture moving in The Daily Prophet, the amusement etched upon his face is quickly hidden, owing to the others around him at the other end of the long black table. Previously knowing the lengths that Hermione would go for her two best mates, had given him cause to roll his eyes in public, but quietly remain in awe of her loyalty to them as well. This new snippet of information has him praying that Potter and Weasley will take good care of her, because there would never be another quite like Hermione Granger. Time and time again, she has proven this to be true.

Obliviating her had been the single hardest act he had ever committed, including attempting to kill Dumbledore. With the disappearance of her memories regarding their relationship, the knowledge of their friendship and love had died as well. Knowing it had been for the best, had not made it any easier to watch her walk near him, completely unaware of what had occurred before. Spying a mix of disgust and morbid curiosity painting her face, upon noticing him glance her way each time after, only added to the turmoil within him.

Looking up at his parents who are quietly eating their breakfast, he silently wishes that this has all been worth it. The pain and angst of protecting them, as well as Hermione, should at least have a purpose. The culmination of the storm that had been brewing is fast approaching, this much he is sure of. Despite knowing the slim chances, he hopes that one day the end of the war will bring her closer to him, if at all.

Part 1: El Fin

 **Author's Note: Thank you to the guest review who let me know the text was not correct. For some reason, does this to me every few chapters. Sorry for the inconvenience! Stay tuned everyone, there's much more to come!**


	16. The Trial

The shuffling of papers and feet move in a chaotic tandem all around, while Draco shifts restlessly in the wooden seat that he is currently shackled to for his trial. His clothing slightly tattered from the holding cell he had been placed in while awaiting his court date, he enjoys each breath he takes within the daunting room, grateful not be within the stifling walls of Azkaban any longer. Across the room, he spies the Golden Trio taking a seat near the juries' seating.

His heart leaps out of his chest as his eyes race to spy the bushy haired witch. However, the sight that greets him, makes his blood run cold. Even after having spent nearly a week in Azkaban, the sight of Hermione's fingers intertwined within Weasley's as they set down, is far worse than being locked away, with not a decent meal in sight. Turning away, he attempts to burn the image out of his brain. Now would not be the time for him to let his emotions blind him, if ever. Today, the Wizengamot would decide his fate, or at least what is left of it. Worrying about Hermione would have to come later.

Nevertheless, much to Draco's disappointment, this task proves easier said than done. Sullenly observing as Kingsley begins the proceedings, his eyes continue to divert back to the direction in which he wishes they could continually rest. Noticing his movement, Potter looks up at him curiously, while Weasley glares at him. Hermione's gaze flits towards his, but never remains for more than a second or so. Breaking through the silent game which seems to be at play, Draco discerns Kingsley's booming voice.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you have any witnesses that you wish to present us with?"

"No sir,"

Turning to face the court, the minister continues.

"Is there anyone here who wishes to testify for or against the defendant, Draco Malfoy?"

Knowing there would not be, Draco awaits the guilty sentence with which he will be given. He expects no less, because his actions were those of a criminal. He alone could be attributed to multiple deaths, if one were to count those affected by others he had aided in infiltrating Hogwarts. To him, those lives remain blood on his hands, regardless of whether he raised an actual wand to them or not.

Taking him by surprise, he notices the wizard with black messy hair and green eyes rise. Nodding in his direction first, Potter then turns to the jury, before speaking.

"Minister, I wish to speak in behalf of Draco Malfoy."

"Proceed, Mr. Potter."

If Kingsley Shacklebolt is surprised by the current events, he hides it well, as he awaits Harry to begin. Others, however, do not hide the gruesome dislike for the Boy Who Lived wishing to speak well of the defendant at all. Nonetheless, Potter still continues.

" As everyone in this courtroom knows, Draco Malfoy and I have never been friends. No one in their right mind would disagree to the contrary. However, as the war has ended, I have witnessed a different side of him. One, even I didn't believe existed. The night Albus Dumbledore was murdered, Draco cringed at the thought of killing our Headmaster. He admitted to Dumbledore even, unknowingly in my presence, that he had to kill him for fear of Voldemort murdering his parents. While I was hidden away underneath the staircase, I witnessed the whole scene play out, right to the very end."

Pausing, Harry takes a breath, before resuming. Simultaneously, Draco shifts in his seat nervously, wondering what Potter is playing at.

"When we were captured by the snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor, he aided us yet again. If Malfoy hadn't refused to identify us in Malfoy Manor, we could have lost our lives at that very moment. In doing this, I was able to successfully disarm him of his wand, retrieving the possession of the Elder wand's allegiance in the process. These factors all led up to me being able to finally kill Voldemort. If it were not for Malfoy, I am certain we would have failed to win the war at all."

" Mr. Potter, are you willing to allow us to extract these memories for further inspection?" a Wizengamot witch asks, rather impertinently, while those around her continue to look uncomfortable.

"Madame, with all due respect, I am prepared to place them in a Pensieve before this very court, if that is what you all wish."

"Very well then, Mr. Potter. Accio Pensieve," Kingsley interrupts.

From a door behind the jury, a large pensieve at least five times the size of the one that remains in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, floats to the middle of the room. Loping down towards the center, Harry prepares to pour glimpses of life into the bowl. Kingsley Shacklebolt along with the jury members, make their way to stand beside Harry. Removing his pocketed wand, the wizard begins pulling the slivers of memory, placing them into the bowl. Once finished, Harry nods to Shacklebolt, which allows the Minister to cue everyone to begin. Dipping their heads down, all are able to immerse themselves in the first memory that appears.

With bated breath, the rest of the courtroom awaits for the resurfacing of all submerged within the pensieve. Deep within himself, a bright light of hope glimmers faintly, as the others view the former actions of his past self. This tiny ray is squelched as he watches Hermione look up at Weasley with an adoring gaze that threatens to aid in helping him regurgitate a breakfast long forgotten. At one time, the same big brown eyes had looked at him in a similar fashion. A memory, which only serves to make his heart ache more at the present moment.

Swivelling his eyes from the sickening scene before him, he consciously stares at the opposite wall, intent on trying to burn a hole through it. Minutes tick by, but the wall refuses to catch fire, so he settles for staring at the ornate Pensieve below. Finally, the group resurfaces, with each returning to their previous positions. Once all have returned to their designated spots in the room, Kingsley addresses the courtroom in his booming voice once again.

"In light of the evidence that has been presented to us, a ten minute recess is in order for us to reassess the verdict. Dismissed."

With the clack of the gavel, many move from their seats, while the blonde Slytherin elects to remain in the same spot, out of fear of bumping into one of the trio. Noticing his presence, Kingsley guides the jury back into a room behind his bench. For ten minutes, Draco awaits his fate in anxiousness, hoping if what they had been shown would deter them from interning him to Azkaban again.

When everyone files back in, the rest of the courtroom finds him still seated where he had been before they had left, with his bailiff close at hand. Steeling himself not to look in the direction of the bushy haired witch who is no longer his, he remains staring at Kingsley Shacklebolt, with the knowledge that his next declaration would change the rest of his life regardless.

"Draco Malfoy, in the matter of the charges brought against you for your involvement in the Second Wizarding War, this Wizengamot hereby finds you," he pauses to leave room for everyone to hear, "not guilty."

Without so much as a second thought, Draco immediately turns toward Hermione, willing her eyes to meet his. The risk reaps the slightest bit of a reward, in the form of her locking eyes with his, curiosity filling her gaze. A tap from Weasley beside her though brings her attention elsewhere, reminding Draco of the time and place he is currently in.

The next few minutes are a blur, as he is ushered through the end of the proceedings, and then allowed to walk through the doors of the Ministry a free man.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

"Did you see the way Malfoy kept looking at you, Hermione?" Ron states later, attacking his sundae with fervor beside his girlfriend outside of the newly reopened Fortesque's.

"What are you talking about Ronald?" Hermione asks, slightly perturbed.

"Malfoy, earlier in court. He glanced at you nearly every minute, as if he was worried you would disappear. It was bloody weird."

"You're imagining things. Why on earth would Draco Malfoy care whether I was in the room or not?"

Despite the words she speaks, she knows that Ron is right. In the courtroom, he had looked at her as if she were a life raft to his own sinking ship. Licking her vanilla cake cone contently, Hermione choses to push the thought out of her mind. With him having been cleared of all charges, she has no doubt that the courtroom is the last that she will ever see of Draco Lucius Malfoy.

 **Author's Note: Welcome to Part 2. :) I am so grateful to all who have stuck by with this story so far. Also, I have to give a huge thank you to my wonderful new Beta, . She has been so helpful the past couple of weeks, looking through and helping me fix older chapters. I believe I still have a few tweaks to older chapters I have yet to make that need correcting, but she has been simply wonderful, and is the current reason this chapter is able to be posted right now. Enjoy!**


	17. Redecorating

"Malfoy?" a familiar voice calls, from the darkness of the alley way behind.

"Following me again Potter? I would have thought we were past that, seeing as how I helped you vanquish the Dark Lord, and all," Draco drawls.

"I am. I just wanted to talk," Harry James Potter states, as he pulls off his invisibility cloak.

"I'm all ears," Draco replies, crossing his arms while leaning against the brick wall to his right.

"You're a free man now. You can go anywhere in the world, and yet here you stand, watching from the shadows as my two best friends eat their ice cream."

Sighing, Draco finally faces Harry, with the eyes of a haggard older man. Instead of speaking, the blonde Slytherin pulls out the book he had safeguarded from everyone's eyes but his own, until now.

"As you are still in possession of my wand, could you do me the favor of engorging this?"

"What is that?" Harry questions, skeptically.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," the blonde admits, while exhaling a shaky breath.

"It's not going to hurt me, is it?"

"Just do it, Potter. I wouldn't have saved your arse just to kill you afterwards."

Quickly glancing pensively to the man opposite him, Harry reluctantly pulls out his wand and aims it at the book in Draco's hand.

"Alright. Engorgio!"

Just as it had before when Hermione had done the first time, the book enlarges to its proper size when hit with the spell. Handing it over, Draco turns once again to stare at the witch of his heart from across the street. The pit in his stomach grows ever larger as he watches her playfully swipe ice cream across her companion's face, only to kiss it off moments later. Despite his anguish, he continues to watch the light hearted excitement upon her face with a tense sadness, grateful for the happy moment life has currently afforded her.

"Bloody hell." Harry exclaims incredulously from behind, a few minutes later.

Pivoting to face the other wizard, Draco reaches for the album once Harry has returned it to the miniature state he had first seen it in. Pocketing the scrapbook, Harry Potter openly stares at the Slytherin, unsure of what to say next.

"Did I not tell you that you wouldn't believe me?"

"You're absolutely right. Bloody hell."

"I think you've spent a wee bit too much time around that red haired bloke over there, if that's all you're able to muster up at a time like this, Potter."

"Hang on. How is it possible then that Hermione is over there with him if you and she are together?"

Glancing up at his bespectacled peer, he realizes he needs to confide this secret with another, someone who knows the weight of the words he will next speak.

"At this point in time, she is completely unaware that any of what I just revealed to you actually occurred."

It takes all of two seconds for realization to dawn across Harry's face.

"You Obliviated her, didn't you?"

"That I did."

"That is probably the least selfish act I've ever witnessed from you."

"I'd be lying if I said it hasn't been hell though, Potter. You have no idea how much I want to run over there right now, and whisk her far away from here. We had a whole life planned out together, for after Hogwarts, you know. That is, until fate had other ideas," Draco admits darkly.

"So, what are you planning on doing then?"

"I wish I knew."

"I realize I'm about the last person on earth who you would ever want advice from."

"As I've learned with you Gryffindors, whether I want to hear it or not, you are all hell bent on telling me regardless. So, out with it Potter, before I change my mind."

"Breaking up with Ginny, then leaving her behind was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Looking back now, I realize it was all for the better, even if at the time neither one of us believed it ourselves. I think you'll find that if what you and Hermione had is meant to be, then you both will somehow find your way back to each other eventually."

"What are you suggesting exactly?"

"Let life take its own course, and just enjoy the ride."

"What the bloody hell am I supposed to do in the meantime then Potter? I've been driving myself mad, waiting for the moment when I can find her and restore her memories. Now you're insinuating that I should leave her be, completely unaware that there ever was more to us than foul words of loathing?"

"For a time, yes. Need I remind you, that you aren't the only one who's been through the ringer, Malfoy. She is by no means fragile. Attempting to regurgitate her memories right now though, could harm her while she's still healing from the wounds Bellatrix left physically, as well as mentally."

Glancing over at her leaning into Ronald Weasley's embrace, a great ache of longing fills him.

"Whether you want to admit it or not, you know I'm right," Harry states gently, feeling a strange sorrow for his former rival.

"That doesn't make it any easier." Draco says softly, before apparating out of sight.

HMDMHMDMHMDMHMDMHMDM

The drawing room in Malfoy Manor had never been quite so lively, since the moment Voldemort had lain claim to the home. Draco had only meant to come and throw some furniture around when he had entered the room. However, following what had occurred earlier in Diagon Alley, he no longer feels the need to contain himself. It begins with him throwing a few chairs into walls, and ends with the room bursting into flames as he leaves the destruction behind him in his wake. Outside the entryway of the now contained disaster that had once been the drawing room, Narcissa finds him an hour later, curled up in a ball crying.

"Dragon, darling. What on earth is the meaning of all the raucous I heard from upstairs?"

Through his tears, he smiles weakly.

"I thought I'd do a bit of redecorating."

 **Author's Note: The course of true love never did run smooth..**


	18. Choices

When the owl arrives at his window in Malfoy Manor, Draco blinks at it, as if it could only be a figment of his imagination. After minutes of staring, the winged animal hoots at him, becoming impatient. Shaking pale hands reach forward to grasp the bound parchment attached to the school owl, that no one could mistake for anyone's but McGonagall's own. Retrieving a biscuit from his pocket, he feeds the bird before it takes off once more, in search of its owner. Disbelieving the existence of the familiar scroll in front of him, he moves to sit down on his bed, while he reads.

"Has McGonagall gone mad? I'll be skinned alive," he states in shock to an empty room.

 _What about Hermione?_

The thought, so innocent enough, swirls throughout him. There is not one doubt in his mind that she would return for their final year. She wouldn't be Hermione Granger if she didn't, truth be told. Could he handle being so near her so soon, he wonders?

"Sod it all," he curses, hurling the packet of parchment to the floor.

Breathing heavily, he lies back, to stare at the ceiling of stars he had magically created above him when his wand had finally been returned to him by Potter shortly after their meeting in the alley way. Stars, had always been his comfort, from the time he was a boy. He would stare out at them, wishing he could procure an answer that he needed from them at a whim. Occasionally, somehow, they would acquiesce. More often than not, their presence alone was enough to calm him.

"What am I to do?" he asks miserably.

As if having felt his anguish seep through the walls, a knock at the door comes shortly after, revealing Narcissa Malfoy when she enters.

"Dragon, the Potter boy is here to see you," she leads off, giving him a curious glance.

"Of course he is," Draco mutters.

Standing up, the blonde straightens his suit, before walking out of his room. Finding the bespectacled wizard in the entrance hall to the Manor, he motions for the Gryffindor to follow him elsewhere, far from his mother's prying eyes and ears. Eventually the two wizards find themselves in the garden, where Draco throws up a silencing bubble around the whole area in one swift motion.

"I suppose this is in regards to the Hogwarts letters we all received. Mine arrived only minutes ago, but I daresay you've probably had yours a tad bit longer if you've only just arrived here."

"You would be correct," Harry states, watching him casually.

"How is she?"

"Do you honestly want to know?"

The look that follows is enough to tell him he had asked a ridiculous question. Holding up his hands as if to wave a white flag, he continues.

"A few weeks ago, she and I went to search her parents out in Australia, and the conditions to return their memories had been less than favorable. She made the decision to allow them to carry on with their new lives, simply because she didn't dare risk losing them completely. The chances of them ever returning to their previous lives before her memory charms however, are very slim."

"I see."

"Coupled with the nightmares and that new revelation, she's been a wreck. She's been locking herself away from everyone, including Ron and I."

Running a hand through his thin blonde hair, Draco chooses to look off into the distance. After a few minutes of silence following the last statement, the dark haired wizard clears his throat before he speaks again.

"So, have you given any thought to returning to Hogwarts?"

"Of course I have. Have you?"

"I have, but I won't be returning. Kingsley Shacklebolt has offered me a spot in the auror training program. It's just as well. I'm not too sure I'm ready to return to the place just yet," Harry admits.

"Didn't get enough Dark Arts chasing in school, eh?" the blonde jokes lightly.

"I suppose not. Ron won't be returning either, but Hermione will be."

Looking up at the earnest look in the green eyes, Draco considers the statement. Potter was never one to allude to something without cause.

"I imagine the class sizes will be a lot smaller, more chances of everyone bumping into one another."

"If you return, can you keep the promise you made to me months ago, in good faith?"

"Do I have a choice?" Draco replies, lowering the silencing charm around them, before leaving the other wizard alone to his own devices.

Knocking on the door outside of Hermione's room again, for what seems to be the thousandth time, Ron waits for her voice to filter through the thinly insulated walls. Choosing to cut his losses, he then turns around, until a feeble voice cries out, "Draco!"

Backpedaling, the ginger haired man no sooner makes it into the room than to find himself staring his girlfriend straight in the face, tears pouring down all around her. Hiccupping and sobbing, he looks at her in disbelief, wondering what this is all about. However, choosing to comfort her instead, he sits down beside her and allows her to wrap herself within his arms. Rocking her slowly, she quickly falls into a deep slumber once again, as it becomes apparent she had hardly been awake before. Tucking her back into the bed, he then stands up and leaves without so much as another sound.

"What the bloody hell?" he whispers to himself once the door is firmly shut behind him.

Over the course of the summer, Hermione had gone through many moods. As the summer holiday drew to a close, she began to seclude herself in her bedroom at the Burrow more and more. Harry and Ron rarely would see her, unless they trudged up to the space that had been designated just for her. With her nightmares becoming all the more frequent, she had spoken to Molly, asking that she be allowed to occupy one of the bedrooms at the top of the house, so long as she could change it in the way that she sees fit. Not a word had been spoken against the idea, and so Hermione had taken her things, and made herself at home.

Walking downstairs, Ron finds his mother staring out of the kitchen window, while absentmindedly peeling potatoes. When the sound of his footfalls on the lower steps becomes more prominent, Mrs. Weasley turns toward the stairs, finding her youngest son standing before her. Looking down at her current task, she breathes deeply, before mustering the courage to speak aloud.

"Are you alright dear?"

"I'm fine mum," he states, while walking over to give the woman a long hug.

"Thank you Ron. Is she having nightmares again?" she asks, as he stands up and walks to the cupboard to grab a mug for a cuppa.

"Yes," he mutters quietly, mulling over what had just occurred.

"It will get better with time. That horrible woman did much damage to her mind, but also her soul. I know it's hard to hear, but compared to the Longbottom's, Hermione is lucky."

A dark grunt of agreement is the only acknowledgement that her statement did not go unnoticed. While he hates to admit it, his mother is right. What Bellatrix did to Hermione in comparison to Alice and Frank Longbottom is nothing. However, that does not make it any easier, especially when there are days like these where he feels at a loss for what to do.

Later in the day, Harry arrives back home to find Ron sitting outside, where it seems a great many gnomes had been re homed during the time he had been away. While they had groused as younger teenagers about the chore, these days, both of them look forward to it as a welcome project to take out some anger. Plopping down beside his best mate, he looks at the haunted eyes, and knows that something had happened.

"Harry, I'm worried for her," Ron begins quietly, while examining his hands critically.

"Hermione or your mum?"

"Hermione. She's been sleeping all day. Earlier after you had left, I tried to take her breakfast, and I found her screaming that bloody ferret's name in her sleep. When I bolted into her room, she was crying, and looked as if someone had died."

Dropping his head into his hands, he sighs, before lifting it back up to turn to Harry.

"What do I do mate?" he asks in earnest.

The only real experience that Harry had with memory charms had been Lockhart, and still to this day, the man is locked away in St. Mungo's, wondering who he is. The spell that the imbecile had used was extremely powerful, whereas the one Malfoy had done on Hermione would arguably be less so, one could suppose. Examining his best friend from beside him, he wonders, what would happen if the spell wore off?

"I dunno Ron, but-," he stops, when the door behind them creaks open.

Out into the sunlight steps a very tired looking bushy haired witch.

"Ron?"

Jumping at the sound of her voice, he stands up to go to her.

"Yes Hermione?"

"Would you like to go have dinner, just the two of us?" she asks, rubbing the leftover film out of her eyes.

"I'd like that," he agrees, before taking her into a protective embrace, as if to shield her from the rest of the world.

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone! I realize it has been over two months since the last update, and for that I am sorry. I am going to attempt a tentative posting schedule for the time being. Tuesdays will be when new chapters are posted. Thank you to everyone for reading, following, etc. You are the breath of this project, I assure you! Have a wonderful day, and let me know what you think!**


	19. To Hogwarts, Once More

Up until the very current moment, Draco had second guessed himself numerous times over. At first he had been certain returning to Hogwarts would be the worst decision to make. Then, he thought, maybe returning would at least assuage his fears as to Hermione's current well being. Sitting in the Manor all summer holiday with the constant reminders of the year before did nothing for his own mental state, and he felt that leaving it would do wonders for him as well. Of course, the choice did not come easy, as pivotal life decisions never do. Stepping onto Platform 9 and ¾ however, reaffirms his verdict on the matter.

A brief goodbye between mother and son is shared, before he quickly boards the train, so as not to cause a raucous should attention be drawn to him. Making haste for the compartment he and his housemates had always shared, he finds Blaise and Theo sitting before him when he opens the door.

"There's a sight for sore eyes," Blaise murmurs, as he shuts the door behind him.

Plopping down next to the brown skinned man, he looks over at Theo to give his quiet friend a brief nod, before looking back over at his best mate.

"How have you been mate?" the blonde asks, taking his usual window seat, which happens to face the platform.

"Well. The better question though is how have you been? Theo and I were just discussing how we've hardly heard from you all summer. In all honesty, neither of us were sure that you would even be attending this last year."

"Can't be worse than the previous year with the Carrows, could it?" he asks morbidly, staring down towards the students casually boarding the train.

"I suppose not," Blaise replies, eyeing Draco carefully.

Feeling his gaze pierce his outer mental barrier, he looks back up into the eyes of his two best friends.

"So what have the pair of you been up to then, since you're both so curious about me?" Draco queries, rather indignantly.

"Easy, mate. We've just been worried for you. It can't have been easy after, well, everything that's occurred," Theo speaks up sofly.

"Can't have been easy? Can't have been-," he starts, but abruptly stops with an intake of breath to follow.

Trailing his gaze, both Blaise and Theo look out to where their best mate spies a rather bushy haired witch, solemnly following the lead of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley hand in hand. Beside her, Ronald Weasley is pulling her trunk with his right hand, while his left is threaded protectively around her own slim fingers. Her beauty, despite the obvious sadness surrounding her, had not faded in the slightest. The determination across her face is plain to see as she slowly marches with her closest friends all surrounding her.

Stopping just beside the nearest loading door, Ron releases her grasp, so Harry can wrap Hermione in a tight hug as his sister embraces him in one simultaneously. A single tear rolls down the bushy haired witch's cheek, as she frees one of her two best friends from her grasp seconds later to the arms of his girlfriend. Pivoting slowly, Hermione allows the ginger haired wizard to embrace her in a somewhat more familiar manner, where tears begin to flow more steadily. Raging jealously fills Draco as he watches the man within her arms step back to wipe away the droplets, while murmuring something to calm her. The sight of the same man squeezing her in his arms once more, has him aching inside.

"Drake," Blaise murmurs, just as the youngest male Weasley catches his scrutinizing stare.

His worried look turns into a glare, while he carefully bestows a kiss on his girlfriend's forehead. Bile rises in the blonde's throat, as he swivels his gaze back to Theo and Blaise, both observing him intently.

"Did I grow a third head? If not, mind your own bloody business," he states tersely, before standing up to leave the compartment.

In his haste, he bumps into none other than the witch who he had been contemplating mere minutes before out in the hall. The brief look of fright and then false recognition in her eyes has him sprinting for the nearest loo to vomit the contents of his stomach out before she has a chance to utter a single word.

Of all the occurrences that Hermione Granger had prepared herself for before returning to Hogwarts, colliding with Draco Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express had been the very last one on her mind. She had assumed after the trial he would have fled to a different country on the globe, possibly returning to France, where it had been rumored the Malfoys' were originally from. Never in her most imaginative dreams would she have thought he would attend the final year of Hogwarts, as few others in their year would choose to do so as well.

Once in the compartment with Luna and Ginny, the frazzled witch breathes a sigh of relief. Despite her protests, upon her entrance, her two friends aid her in disposal of her trunk as she pulls the door shut. Without another word, both witches clasp their friend's hand as she sits down, in a silent show of empathy. The train leaves the station not long after, with the returning students and 1st years filled with apprehension alike.

During the hours' long journey, Draco eventually makes his way back towards his compartment. Neither Blaise nor Theo dares to ask about their friend's odd behavior, simply owing to the fact they both in part know what it has to do with, Blaise more so than the latter. Elsewhere, Hermione, Ginny and Luna are also quiet, but for a different reason. Hardly any one of them had slept a wink the night before, and after the first few minutes all three had fallen into a deep slumber. When the train pulls into Hogsmeade, the three scramble to dress in their robes, for the first time ever, resulting in them being the last ones to stumble from the train with their belongs following suit.

HMDMHMDM

Taking her seat, Hermione settles in between Ginny and another fellow Gryffindor at the long table. Uneasiness fills the older students, as they remember the last time they had all been together in the Great Hall. Hardly having stepped out all summer, this would be the first time in months that Hermione is surrounded by a multitude of people. Training her sight towards the staff table in an attempt to center herself, she notices identical expressions on all of the professors. Hagrid, catches her stare and gives her an encouraging smile, which sets her mind slightly more at ease.

The sound of the hat being set upon the stool has her turning back to the space in front of the four house tables. McGonagall soon ambles away on her cane, with the First Year list in her grasp. Leaning forward, the new students eagerly await the Sorting Hat to speak, while the older students watch on less so.

 _Within these walls I have witnessed much happiness and sorrow_

 _My hope is that the students this year_

 _Will succeed in all they hold dear_

 _Bringing a new age for the morrow_

 _So, bring your mind, so that I may see where you belong_

 _It may be in Gryffindor, where the noble and true dwell_

 _Or perhaps in Ravenclaw, where the bright and shrewd excel_

 _Perchance you could suit Hufflepuff, where the loyal and those of virtue settle_

 _Or possibly in Slytherin, where the cunning and astute revel_

 _These four houses form together our school_

 _As they have for centuries_

 _But if this world is to have a future_

 _We must achieve house unity_

Silence follows the song's close, until McGonagall nods to signal the beginning of the Sorting Ceremony. The first scrawny eleven year old makes her way to the front, in anticipation of the hat being lain upon her head. Hermione's eyes glaze over as she is taken back to her own sorting, and what began her whole escapade into the Wizarding World. A burning sensation at the back of her neck gives cause for her to turn in that direction, only to lock gazes with none other than Draco Malfoy.

He had not meant to glance her way, but it had become a habit, as had breathing. Silently, he curses himself when she looks in his direction. For him, this all makes sense. For her, however, the world has to be turning upside down. At this thought, he is reminded of what Potter had warned him of and the subsequent promise he had made. Until now, her existence had not been a tangible problem. Arriving at Hogwarts, however, makes it all that much more complicated. Breaking the questioning gaze, he avows to himself to honor the pact, nonetheless, as he had once before.


	20. The Last Night Before

While everyone else in Slytherin House has chosen to sleep through the night, Draco sits up watching the murky, unmoving depths of Black Lake before him, from his favorite squishy armchair. Despite his father currently being incarcerated in Azkaban, the man had still been afforded the luxury of sending an owl to his son the night before his school commences for the impending year. Every fibre of his being, told him to ignore it, and allow himself to sleep. His anxiety, however, chose to disregard his mind's silent pleas.

"Bloody tosser," the blonde murmurs, remembering the manner in which his father had written him, as if nothing had changed in the slightest.

A door opening behind Draco has him turning to face Blaise, who shakes his head upon spotting his best mate still awake. Rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands in an attempt to push away an ounce of exhaustion from them, he stumbles forward, taking a seat in a chair not far from the only other occupied one in the room. Silence passes between them in seconds that seem to stretch further as the void continues. Finally, the dark skinned man clears his throat, which is then accompanied with a question.

"Dare I ask why you are still conscious at this late hour?"

Giving his answer thought before replying, Draco laces his fingers together, his eyes remaining transfixed on the dark water before them.

"My mind has yet to rest in a manner that is satisfactory enough to abet sleep."

"Cut the crap. You're still frazzled from that run in with Granger earlier."

The mention of her name is enough to break through the carefully assembled facade that he had assumed since after the train incident. While his father's letter had riled him quite a bit, that, had been more of a catalyst for his insomnia than any other matter.

"I never should have obliviated her," Draco breathes out slowly, with the fingers of his left hand pressing on either side of the bridge of his nose.

"You did what you thought was best mate. I can't say I wouldn't have at least contemplated making the same choice if I had been in your shoes," Blaise declares empathetically.

"I thought I could handle being near her, as long as I could know that she's safe, happy even. I shouldn't have returned. I can't, I can't do this," he states, his head falling his hands.

"I don't believe that Drake. I don't believe it for a second. You survived Voldemort living in your home for over a year. You defied the Carrows and your own parents, when it came down to it. If you can do all of those things, you can make it through this."

"You sound so certain," the blonde murmurs, turning to his best friend.

"That's because I am. A love like what you've shown me doesn't just disappear. She'll find you again one day, mate. You can't let yourself fall apart in the meantime though. I know she wouldn't want that for you, whether she remembers any of it or not."

A brief pause follows, before Draco dips his head in acknowledgement of the statement.

"You're right. I shouldn't have allowed myself to be so bent out of shape," the blonde concedes.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. It's normal to be emotional, especially regarding something such as that. Just, don't let it take over your life. Better yourself, and when the time comes, everything will fall into place."

"Thank you Blaise."

"Hey, what are best mates for?" he asks, holding up both hands.

"Too true. I think it's time I get to bed. The morning is going to come all too soon," Draco states wearily, standing up.

A second later, Blaise is right behind him.

"Right you are. I don't believe McGonagall will be ecstatic if either of us were to fall asleep on the first day," Blaise admits, as they both stride toward their dormitory, putting an end to their long night.

Elsewhere in the castle, Hermione Granger is thrashing in her sleep, while Ginny views the scene apprehensively. Before both witches had made the commitment to return, the youngest Weasley had known it would not come easy for Hermione, just as the whole summer had not been easy for any of the lot at the Burrow. Many a night found at least one or two members of the household rushing to one another, in an attempt to soothe each other out of vicious nightmares.

The war had taken a toll on everyone, leaving no one unscathed. Her mother still grieving the loss of her son, rarely goes a day without crying. With each passing day, she found George distancing himself more from the rest of the family, choosing instead to tinker away in his room on the newest Zonko products. Charlie and Bill, living far away, rarely stopped in to visit, but that had been expected. She could imagine though that from his scant letters, Bill is taking solace in Fleur, in the aftermath. Percy, for all the bad that he had done, continues to make amends. Were it not for him arriving nearly every night for dinner, she is certain her mother wouldn't bother to cook a full meal. As for her and Ron, both took up the duty of caring for Harry and Hermione.

To say that neither could not take care of themselves would be ludicrous. However, certain days are worse than others, which requires someone there to help pick up the pieces. Harry, for all that he had given, lost much peace mentally. He would wake from night terrors, crying for people who had died for him. Hermione, screamed for hours on end, reliving the torture she had been subjected to nearly every night for the first month. Slowly, with time, the pair began to be able to sleep without waking the whole house. However, as a Psych Healer at St. Mungo's had pointed out to their current significant others, neither would ever be fully whole again.

Crookshanks, who is nestled underneath Hermione's bed, glances over at Ginny in the next four poster over. A tiny nod from her has him then hopping up onto the adjacent mattress, curling up in his owner's shaking arms. As his fur grazes her bare skin, the shudders slow, while she subconsciously cuddles closer to him. Eventually, the once shivering witch, falls into a tranquil slumber, with her friend breathing a sigh of relief beside her.

 **Author's Note: As per the new posting schedule, here is a new chapter. I've so far gotten all of this month's chapters back logged, as well as a few more. Hopefully, I can keep the momentum up. :) Have a lovely day!**


	21. Assurances and Owls

The first day of classes has the whole school in a frenzy as timetables are issued and First Years are attempting to find their way around the school. For Draco, his schedule is a bit more complex than others, as he is certain other N.E.W.T. students own will be as well. After the night before, he finds himself yawning throughout the day, wishing he had slept more. Were it not for the fact that N.E.W.T. Transfiguration is his first class, he is certain that he would have fallen into a deep slumber. However, as Blaise expressed the night before, sleeping in the Headmistress' class is the last thing he would desire to do.

As had been expected, many had not chosen to continue on to the highest level of education available at Hogwarts, leaving only a few students besides himself staring attentively as the older witch begins discussing the strict curriculum that they are all expected to abide throughout the year. Peering over at Hermione from his seat in the back, he notices that she has hardly made move to pick up a quill, opting instead to simply listen. He had never known her not to take notes with a tenacity nearly unrivaled, save for his own. Shaking his head, he turns back to the front of the room, trying to forget the witch is only mere feet from him.

The move had not gone unnoticed by their Professor, who continues on, as if anything abnormal has not occurred at all. Despite feigning ignorance while outlining the syllabus to the small classroom, Minerva McGonagall still notices the young Malfoy occasionally glancing at the young witch protectively, as if someone might leap at her at any possible moment, while the girl at the center of his affections remains completely unaware. It also seems to the aged witch that the young Gryffindor's movements have slowed and personality in the classroom have changed drastically, in comparison to years past. A fact, she notes, that is not wholly dismissed by Draco Malfoy.

When the first lesson concludes, Minerva calls Draco to the front, as she dismisses the others. The surprised expression on his face quickly disappears, as she witnesses the disdain he encounters on his peers' facial features when he wanders to the front of the room. A quizzical expression appears across Hermione Granger's face as she tentatively glances back, before slowly exiting shortly after.

"Mr. Malfoy, I am pleased to see you in my classroom as a student once again," she begins, paying attention to the way his eyes shift downward when she addresses him.

"Thank you Professor. I am grateful you allowed me to return," he asserts quietly.

"Why would I not? Your true colors were always visible to those of us with the ability to see beyond your circumstance. A boy in your position did far worse at your age out of pure malice. You, on the other hand, simply meant to protect your family. While your methods were wrong, your intent was pure," she affirms, not one to mince words.

"Forgive me Headmistress, but, how can you say that? I did horrible things, I-,"

"At this point in time, do you still believe in Pureblood supremacy, Mr. Malfoy?"

"No, of course not," Draco answers, slightly taken aback by the question.

"Do you wish to create a master race, effectively murdering anyone who disagrees with you?"

"Of sodding course not!" he shouts vehemently.

"If your answers reflect how you truly feel, then you will always have a place at this school. People can change. It is often one of the most beautiful and most terrifying parts of life."

"I suppose so."

"As someone who has witnessed countless young witches and wizards pass through these halls, I can assure you, this is where you belong."

"Thank you Professor," he replies in earnest.

"Before you go, would you like a biscuit, Mr. Malfoy?"

Ambling down the corridor, taking each step in a timely manner, Hermione's brain whirs on its own steady pace. While finding that Draco Malfoy had returned to Hogwarts had thrown her for a loop, the increasing pain inside of her body is an entirely different matter, which requires her current mental facilities. Certain days, her body feels almost normal, whereas others have her wanting to sleep the pain away. At present, a raging fire of torment is building within her, spreading as if it were wild.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Luna asks, noticing her friend's pace slowing as she catches up with her in the hall.

"I'm," she winces as a shock of pain bolts through her, "fine."

"If you were fine, then you wouldn't be staggering towards a wall in pain," the blonde says in frustration.

Leaning up against the wall to catch her breath, Hermione attempts to reign in her pain, so that it will not prevent her from arriving to her next class in one piece. However, her body has other ideas. A third shock of pain flashes through her like lightning, which then has her on the floor, curling into the fetal position.

"Hermione!" Luna screams, dropping everything on the way down to sit beside her.

Moments later, the Ravenclaw looks around to find someone else who can assist her in taking the fallen Gryffindor to the Hospital Wing, but all other stray students have scurried off to their next subject. Without a moment's hesitation after this realization, Luna grabs her wand, then mutters, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Through the hall, Luna levitates her friend, refusing to stop even when she encounters Draco Malfoy turn even more pale at the sight of Hermione. From the corner of her eyes, she witnesses him cast a spell, which eases the weight of the witch she is carrying within her own enchantment. Together, they both are able to deposit her in a cot upon arrival with relative ease. At the sight of the witch landing on the fresh sheets, Madame Pomfrey looks to the odd pair who had delivered her for an explanation.

"She was walking down the halls when I found her stumbling in pain. Shortly after, she collapsed in front of me while I was explaining to her that she needed to come straight to you."

"Where does he come into all of this?" the nurse points to Draco, while she begins patting Hermione's forehead with a cool cloth.

"I passed him on my way here, and he chose to give me assistance in levitating her here."

"Thank you both then, for bringing her here. I will notify the Headmistress of her appearance. If you wish, either of you may visit her later if she remains in my care through the day. You may both return to you classes now," Madame Pomfrey states by way of dismissal.

While Luna merely nods, before exiting, Draco stands there motionless, watching Madame Pomfrey tend to Hermione. gaze upon her, the healing witch gives him a questioning glance, before realizing he is worried for her newest patient.

"She's in good hands, Mr. Malfoy, I assure you," she says softly, before returning to her work.

Beside him, the feeling of a hand lightly tugging on the arm of his school robe brings him out of his daze. Slowly, he allows Luna Lovegood to lead him out of the Infirmary, closing the door behind the pair as she does. Turning her gaze up at the taller blonde, Luna pats him sincerely, somehow understanding his deep seated fear.

"Madame Pomfrey is an excellent healer. Hermione will be fine. She just needs rest," Luna reminds, speaking softly.

"The last time I saw her lying on the floor in that position, my Aunt had nearly killed her. No matter how I try, I can't take that vision out of my mind. What if Bellatrix did more damage that the Healers at St. Mungo's did not catch in the preliminary exam of her?" Draco replies, speaking more to himself than the witch in front of him.

"Have faith in the unknown then, just as I did, when you would repeatedly sneak food and water to us while we were retained as prisoners in that awful holding cell in Malfoy Manor."

"Faith is for those who haven't lost all that they once held dear. Take care of her, please" he whispers, before striding away from the Hospital Wing without another glance back.

Hours later, Hermione awakens aching all over, but alive. Surveying the now slightly darkened room, she notices Luna sitting at the foot of her bed, eyeing her warily. The witch, holding a copy of a magazine she is certain is of Muggle origin, drops the reading material in favor of embracing her friend in a brief hug. Pulling away, she stands up to help fluff the pillow so that the witch can sit up against it.

"What time is it?" the bushy haired witch queries, looking around the otherwise empty room.

"A quarter past seven. The sun will be setting soon. How do you feel?"

"I've been worse," Hermione replies, pushing herself up against the now vertical pillow.

"Can I get you anything?"

"A glass of water would be nice, if it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all. I'll be back in a moment."

In Luna's absence, Hermione trails her gaze up to the ceiling where the orange glow spilling through the windows gives an almost ethereal quality to the tall gothic archways above. The sight fills her with a warmth that spreads through her whole body, reminding her that where there is darkness, there is also light. When her friend returns with a cool glass of ice water, the Gryffindor is a bit more lively than before.

"How did I make it down here? The last thing I remember is assuring you that I was perfectly normal. After that, I blacked out."

"I levitated you here, with the help of Draco Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Hermione repeats in shock.

Merely nodding, Luna confirms her statement to be true.

Instead of making another comment, she lies her head back across the top of the pillow, staring at the ceiling in thought. On occasion over the summer, her mind would drift to the moment when she had set in the courtroom, underneath the gaze of the same aforementioned blonde. It had intrigued her, but did nothing more than to make her wonder. Colliding with him on the Hogwarts Express had been odd, to say the least. Finding him staring at her again during the Sorting Feast with the same look she had witnessed throughout his trial had been quite strange, she admits. However, the fact that he had accompanied Luna in her venture of transporting her to the Infirmary is a bit more than she can comprehend in her potion induced state.

The pieces she mused, all fit, if she thought long enough about it. How, she could not say, presently. To her, it seems she's grasping for an answer just beyond her realm of consideration, returning empty handed each time. Never before had she felt so close, but yet so far from a proper solution. The sound of Ginny's footsteps entering the room break through her reverie.

"Hermione, I'm so glad to see you awake!" she declares, rushing forward to embrace her friend.

Once she has stepped back from their hug, she scrutinizes the young woman in front of her closely.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier you were in pain?" Ginny chastises.

"I wasn't until after Transfiguration. It hit all at once, like a lightning storm. If Luna hadn't found me, then no one would have known."

"It's a good thing too. I wrote to Ron earlier, and he and Harry are already in a right state."

"Of course they are. If someone brings me some parchment and a quill with ink, I can send them both an owl, now that I'm awake."

In the blink of an eye between the other two witches, both requests are brought to her in rapid succession. Within minutes, Hermione has a quill in her shaky right hand, pressing the tip to the sheaf of parchment. Frustration ensues however, when she is unable to continue the fluid motions she once had become so accustomed to in her own handwriting. Huffing in aggravation, she slowly scribes a letter to Harry and Ron, before setting the quill down to massage her right hand. Without much deliberation, the other two snatch up the materials, with Luna heading off towards the Owlery to send the letter.

Watching the scroll fly away, tied to the leg of one of the school owls, Luna steps back for a moment to stare off into the sunset. The sun, nearly completely sunk now below the horizon, serves as her point of fixation while she loses herself in thought. Footsteps behind her hardly register in her mind, until Draco Malfoy walks into view, with his own letter in hand. The sight of the blonde witch surprises him, but he continues on nonetheless.

"She's awake," Luna pronounces into the silence.

A visible release of stiffness within his stature is the only affirmation she receives that he heard a word she had spoken. An owl with the fierce appearance of a tiger, hops toward the Slytherin, who caresses the top of her head before attaching the parchment to its leg. When she flies away, he traipses past Luna, with no other acknowledgment thrown her way at all.

Late into the night, Hermione awakens again, bolting up covered in a cold sweat. The darkness around her helps little in her attempt to assuage her own fears facilitated by yet another bad dream. Inhaling and exhaling, she focuses on anything her mind can fabricate, other than what she has just witnessed. Her first thought is her blonde Slytherin classmate who presents an unsolved puzzle before her, which she had yet to decode when she had nodded off earlier while speaking with Ginny.

 **Author's Note: So, I feel like if I am to ever finish this story in a timely manner, posting at least twice a week is a better fit. Hope you all enjoy this newest installment. Let me know what you think. Again, thank you to everyone following, favoriting, and reviewing. Have a good day. :)**


	22. Mischief and Mistletoe

Taking Blaise's advice, Draco throws himself into his schoolwork as he never has before. The first day had proven to test his resolve, but despite it all, he had held out. Hermione, he was informed by way of the fair haired Ravenclaw friend of hers, had been released to return to classes two days later. Other than the occasional glance her way, as the weeks continue to pile onto each other, he has no problem distancing himself from her for the time being.

The bushy haired witch while remaining to occupy his heart, does not weigh him down with grief at every turn, as she had once before. However, he had noticed in her not too subtle way, that she was attempting to figure him out. If she did, would that be breaking the agreement he had with her best friend? Late into the night while studying alone, he often muses about the repercussions of her figuring it all out, which he is certain she eventually will.

Regardless of the perplexed stares that she throws his way in passing, Hermione rarely allows herself to cross paths with him, other than out of necessity. For weeks after start of term, she is merely focused on acclimating herself to the school once again, as well as regulating her pain. Draco Malfoy is a puzzle indeed, but not the problem at the forefront of her mind to say the least. Fleeting moments she spies him in the halls, causing the wonder to plague her once again, but only for as long as it takes to sneeze

As the first half of the year draws to a close, Hermione is grateful to be that much closer to returning to The Burrow, whereas Draco would much rather stay put so that he does not have to go to Malfoy Manor again. Blaise, as he had predicted, would remain at school, as would Theo. Not many Slytherins would be going home, owing to the fact most have no home to go to at all. Pansy had chosen not to attend 8th year but still writes the lot, wishing them each a Happy Christmas.

The day that everyone is to leave for Winter Break, Draco finds himself wandering the halls aimlessly, as the majority of the other students are preparing to travel home for the holidays. Hands in his pockets, only mildly aware of the portraits around him, while hoping Peeves does not find him, he continues to wend his way through the castle. Hardly noticing his feet had carried him towards Gryffindor Tower, he pauses when he spots none other than Crookshanks near the entrance of the turret. Upon sighting the blonde, the Kneazle makes his way towards the young man, eager to receive a few caresses in his arms.

Lifting the the bright orange ball of fur into his limbs, he strokes the animal, to which content purrs begin to emit from his mouth. With the corridor deserted, a sense of security wraps around Draco, as a the feeling of familiarity also makes an appearance. When he and Hermione had been together, Crookshanks and he had formed a bond of mutual understanding, verging on affection even. For all the aggravation that the creature could be to others, Draco has always found him soothing, even to this day. On occasion, he would even visit the Slytherin Dungeons, just like old times. As long as Hermione knows nothing of these visits, he has no quibbles with them whatsoever.

Unexpectedly, as if called inaudibly, the owner of said beast materializes almost out of thin air, finding her pet in the arms of none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Oh Crookshanks, what have you done now," she asks towards her familiar before turning around to face the blonde to continue, "If he's caused you any undue grief, I promise to remedy it to the best of my ability."

Without warning, a smirk falls upon the Slytherin's lips, as he continues smoothing the hair within the animal's mane. Warily, Hermione stands firmly rooted to her spot closer against the wall, watching the scene before her. His smile, she is positive, is suspicious at best.

"He hasn't bothered me one bit, I assure you. He looked lonely, so I figured I'd humor the poor beast."

"Well that's, um, that's, hmph," Hermione stutters out, unsure of how to reply.

A light shock of pain flows through down to the tip of her toes. To mask the pain, she chooses to lean against the wall, hands behind her back. As she does, a stray tendril of hair falls forward across the length of her face. Almost automatically, Draco reaches forward with his right hand to pick it up and carefully place it behind her left ear once again. Thoroughly flummoxed, she glances up at him shyly, as he quickly lurches back when he realizes his mistake seconds later.

"I, I'm-," he begins to say, before the sound of footsteps descending down the tower echo to both of their ears.

At the base of the tower, Ginny Weasley is revealed, with her expression turning from curious to hostile at the sight of the other person in the hall. Glancing between both, noting each of the looks on their faces, a mixture of guilt and surprise playing across the pair's features. Turning to address her housemate, the red haired witch keeps an eye on the Slytherin as well.

"You were gone so long, I thought you might have collapsed again. Are you all packed?"

"Just about. All I need is Crookshanks and we can make our way to the Entrance Hall," Hermione manages to coherently string together.

"Alright. I'll be upstairs then. If you don't come up soon, I will return," Ginny states pointedly, giving the blonde one last glance, then ascending the steps once again.

When the sound of the younger witch's footsteps disappear, the remaining two occupants of the corridor pivot slightly to face each other once again. Making the first move, Draco gives Crookshanks one last almost imperceptible embrace, before bending down to set him free. Mewling out his displeasure, the Kneezle slinks past his owner, carefully hopping back up the steps towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I should go now. Happy Christmas Granger," he manages to say convincingly enough, despite still having to resist the urge to say Hermione.

Spinning around, he begins to walk in the opposite direction of the bushy haired witch. However, her voice behind him, stops his movements in their tracks. Catching up with him, she glides to stand right beside him. For the first time in months, of Draco's own doing of course, they are as close as they had ever been. Before Hermione can speak a single word however, Peeves pops out of nowhere.

"What is this we have here? Why it's wee Granger and the Malfoy youngling. What, pray tell could they be doing in the hall all alone?"

"Leave us be, you batty poltergeist," Draco spits out tersely.

"Is that any way to talk to someone who can alert the castle of this whole happenstance?"

"Peeves, would you please give us a few moments? We were merely finishing a conversation."

"A conversation indeed. Take notes from your sweetheart, young Mr. Malfoy. She at least has manners. You on the other hand could learn a thing or two from her. Perhaps, after you kiss under the mistletoe you both stand beneath, she could help you brush up on your etiquette. Hmm?"

Floating away, Peeves' cackles can be heard down through the hall, until he all but vanishes.

"Sodding wonderful," Draco mutters.

"What are you on about Malfoy?" Hermione inquires, glancing up to meet his gaze.

Being a Muggleborn, there are certain things that still need explaining to the learned witch. For all her knowledge, she has clearly never come across the various tricks of Poltergeists in the Wizarding World. Not only are the pair currently underneath mistletoe, but more so, magical mistletoe. Looking down into the warm chocolate brown pools that had enchanted him long ago, he leans down without so much as a clarification behind his reasoning, carefully sliding his hands around either side of her face. Stunned into silence as he presses his lips against her, she allows him to bend down and snog her.

All of the frustration and built up sorrow within him pours into translation through the molding of his lips against hers. The initial contact had shocked the witch, but once she finds the ability within her to move again, she reaches up tentatively to wrap her arms around his neck. The action surprises him, but he continues as she responds in a favorable manner. For a scant moment, he is reminded of years before, when she was his. Happiness flows throughout him while her reciprocation for his embrace sustains.

When the pair break apart for air, a glimmer of hope fills him as he pleads with whatever gods she prays to that the kiss will somehow spark her remembrance of him, the real one. This wish is quickly squelched, when he spies the regret in her eyes, recognizing that she still does not recollect anything at all.

"The mistletoe charm Peeves left has been thwarted. Happy Christmas Hermione," Draco whispers, before quickly sprinting in the opposite direction, leaving her to stand there watching after him more confused than ever before.

Stumbling up the stairs that leads to the Gryffindor Common Room, as the portrait had graciously remained open during the whole occurrence. Nearly colliding with Ginny as she enters, the other witch regards her suspiciously, as Crookshanks had arrived even before her.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ginny asks, waving in the direction from whence she had come.

"Crookshanks had wandered to the dungeons, and Malfoy had been the one to find him. He's unmistakable as anything other than mine, so he returned him as soon as he was found,"

"Ah. That Kneazle is going to bark up the wrong tree one day, I swear," Ginny murmurs, while considering what Hermione has yet to say.

The ride home on the train feels fairly swift to Hermione, as she remains deep in thought the whole time. Ginny, pretends to be unaware of the shift in her friend's ordinarily more loquacious nature, when not buried nosedeep in a novel of some sort. However, she chooses to say nothing more for the time being. Arriving at The Burrow, she hopes, will lift Hermione out of the current mood she is in.

When the train does pull into King's Cross, Ginny eagerly looks out of her window to spy Harry and Ron, as well as most of their immediate family members. The only ones notably missing are her mother and George. Reaching for her trunk, she and Hermione both press forward, ready to be rid of the feeling the seats beneath them had imprinted upon each of the two. Whilst the youngest Weasley runs forward to jump into her boyfriend's arms, her friend steps forward slowly, lightly embracing her boyfriend.

The look of shock and hurt is hidden as he presses his face into her hair, memorizing the feel of her against him. Harry and Ginny however, most assuredly have noticed her reluctance, as do Ron's other family present.

With the day going on in a constant blur, Hermione is grateful when she is finally able to climb into bed that night, quickly drifting off. For the first time in what seems to be months, she experiences not night terrors, but a dream of her and one particular Slytherin that fills her with weightlessness and contentment abound. That is, until she rises in the morning, becoming conscious once more.

The Christmas Break for Hermione is much needed, as the beginning of the year had not started as she had wished. As she had in the summer, much to Ron and Ginny's chagrin, she secludes herself for nearly the whole holiday, preferring the company of herself over anyone else. While the two youngest Weasleys' are agitated about this, Harry understands more than either could ever know. Joining in only on Christmas Day, the witch rarely ever spends time with anybody at all for the remainder of the break.

Elsewhere at Hogwarts, with Hermione gone, dissolving the memory of what happened before the commencement of their two weeks off of school is easier. Filling the days with mock Quidditch tournaments and Exploding Snap games between the remaining students, who primarily happen to be Slytherins, are welcome distractions from real life. Theo having pilfered liquor into Hogwarts somehow, with Draco suspecting Pansy had a hand in that endeavor, serves as an extra coping mechanism for him as well.

On Christmas Eve, Draco stands in the Astronomy Tower purely for a nostalgia kick, so he can gaze out at the star that shines the brightest out of them all on this very night. Hermione, he recalls, had once told him a fairy tale regarding the star. One, he is certain he had heard once before, but had discounted because it meant nothing to him at the time. A number of Muggles he learned later from her, believe in a Savior being born on this night, which he supposes is the closest thing to magic for them. He, for one, wouldn't put much stock into believing in the existence of only one god, when it seems that it would take many to play with his and others' fates as if they were musical instruments of some sort, as has been done thus far.

When it all begins drawing to a close, Draco's anxiety sky rockets as do the seizure like pains that strike througph Hermione. The last day of break has her laid up in bed, under a heavy dose of a pain remedy that Madame Pomfrey had brewed specifically for her. Come the next morning, she assumes the brave face for which she is known, then leaving to board the Hogwarts Express for one last return journey.


	23. Fireworks

The return to Hogwarts from winter break turns out to be far less eventful than Hermione had predicted. The train ride had been quiet, with Ginny and Luna conversing amongst themselves, and Hermione occasionally chiming in. The older girl a bit more chipper than during the holiday, after a long rest away from school and responsibilities, easily can tell that both her friends are heavily studying her, despite attempting to act otherwise. Once they reach the school by mid afternoon, traverse up to the castle, and settle in again, it quickly becomes time for the welcome back feast.

Staring into the mirror inside her wardrobe, she notices that a stray tendril is hanging in her face, so she whisks it up into the bun that she has chosen to wear for the evening. The action is reminiscent of the one that she had pondered over for a good bit of time more than she had been willing to admit, especially when it involved mulling over what had followed after, underneath the mistletoe. Ginny rummaging in her trunk for only goodness knows, breaks through any potential mental tangent her mind had been about to enter. Closing the doors behind her, she turns to find Ginny still in her own trunk.

"What are you looking for?"

"Extra stockings. Mine went missing somehow," the redhead replies, before grabbing what she had come looking for.

"Ah. Are you almost ready?"

"Just a few more touches, and I should be. Meet you in the Common Room?"

"Sure."

In the Common Room, Hermione finds Neville leaning against one of the red armchairs waiting for Seamus and Dean near the entrance to the boys dormitories. Sidling up to him, she nudges the young man before flashing a grin up to her taller classmate.

"Hey stranger," she greets.

"Fancy seeing you here," Neville replies, with an easy smile for his friend.

"Still waiting on that pair up there?"

"Right you are. They've been up there for over thirty minutes now, helping each other dress. They're worse than you and Ginny combined."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

Breaking out into a fit of giggles, Hermione watches as Neville remains bewildered at her reaction.

"What're you on about Hermione?" he queries, rather indignantly.

"I believe they're doing a bit more than helping each other with their attire, Neville."

Instantly, as the comment registers, Neville turns a bright shade of pink, then red.

"Oh. Well, good for them," Neville musters in reply.

When both of the other 8th year Gryffindors walk down the stairs looking slightly disheveled, but overall completely put together, they are greeted by a red faced Neville, and a smirking Hermione Granger. Looking between one another, neither can figure out what could have caused the looks on their friends' faces, which results in a simultaneous shoulder shrug shared between each other.

Ginny enters the room shortly after, noting the light ambiance all around, grateful for the happiness glowing around her best friend.

Stepping closer to the rest of the group, she motions to them while reminding,"Come on you lot. More food than we can possibly consume awaits!"

Travelling down to the ground floor of the castle, the Gryffindors chat amongst each other, only to add to their group as other friends from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw integrate into the procession. Hannah and Neville speak to each other, regarding something about growing methods for a new species of plant. Seamus and Dean walk suspiciously close together, almost as if they wish to reach for each other's hands as they continue down further. The Patil twins also converse animatedly together, as if they hadn't been wrapped at the hip the whole break. Luna and Ginny talk more about Christmas break, with Ginny shooting looks occasionally over at Hermione, who is the only one of them who seems to be searching for something or someone elsewhere as they all continue on. Before Ginny can say anything regarding the matter, however, they all reach the large golden double doors.

Walking forward, each of them step through, dissipating to each of their own house tables. Seating themselves, Hermione subconsciously looks towards the Slytherin table to find the one person she has been most anxious to see since her arrival earlier in the day. However, when her eyes do settle on him, he is in deep conversation with none other than his best friends; Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Roving her eyes back over to her own table, she finds Ginny regarding her with a strange look from across the table, before turning to start a conversation with Neville.

Throughout the dinner, Hermione can feel the heat of a stare at her back. When she turns to meet it, however, she discovers his eyes to be elsewhere. By dessert, she wonders if maybe she has over thought every single occurrence that has happened thus far. Of course, that could have been the case, were it not for their accidental meeting right before Christmas. Forcefully dipping her spoon into her pudding, she discards any thought of him, turning to enjoy the rest of the meal with her friends.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

Having prepared himself over the past forty-eight hours for the impending sighting of the witch who he had been attempting to forget for the previous fortnight, Draco feels fairly confident that he will be able to manage an encounter with Hermione Granger, in the event of their eventual meeting once again. The welcome feast had been simple, despite the fact that he could feel the heat of her questioning stares during the whole affair. What he had not planned for however, is Harry Potter stowing away on the train behind Hermione underneath his Invisibility Cloak, in an effort to find him alone at the first chance he can. Leaping out at the Slytherin when he least suspects it in an empty hallway, on his way back to the common room following supper, the man who vanquished the Dark Lord terrifies him out of his wits in doing so.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing here Potter?" Draco questions, stepping back while clutching his chest.

"I think the better question is why were you alone with Hermione the day before Hogwarts' winter break?" Harry replies, looking no less terrifying than moments ago.

"I was returning Crookshanks to his rightful owner, if you must know," Draco replies indignantly, refusing to miss another beat.

"Is that so. Well I have it from a reliable source that you were with her far longer than it takes the time to hand over a bloody cat. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, MALFOY!" Harry shouts, as he advances on the wizard.

"I didn't do anything to her at all, Potter," he replies with a sneer, just daring the other to do something, so he could have a solid reason to punch him squarely in the jaw.

"She hardly spoke to ANYONE the whole time she was home! When she did, she barely registered Ron as existing. I know you had a hand in that, Malfoy. I should have known I couldn't trust you, you bloody ba-"

"Mr. Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World or not, you are never to come into my school simply to antagonize one of my students. Secondly, what on earth are you doing here?" McGonagall questions, when she strides upon the ensuing argument.

As if having been doused with cold water, Harry Potter transitions from angry adolescent to remorseful human being. Suddenly realizing the weight of what he has done, he looks around to the crowd of gathered onlookers, wondering when they had arrived. One glare from the Headmistress, as well as interim Transfiguration Professor, has every single one scattering, except for the two she most wishes to speak with at the moment.

"I asked you a question Mr. Potter. You seemed to have a lot to say a few minutes ago. Spit it out, young man. I am a very busy woman and do not have all day."

"Malfoy here obl-,"

"There is not a thing that goes on in this castle that I am not aware of Mr. Potter. My question is why are you currently within my presence? As far as I am concerned, Mr. Malfoy has done nothing to deserve the current circumstance. Now unless you have something to add that I have not already previously been enlightened to, then I suggest you leave this castle at once, and hope that I do not send an owl to Kingsley detailing this incident."

For the first time in a long time, a surge of admiration flows through Draco as he watches McGonagall defend him, as no one had but his own mother and Hermione Granger. The woman who had always favored the dark haired wizard from the moment he had stepped into the school, is the same one to put him in his place when he is so clearly out of line in the given instance.

"I'm sorry Professor. My emotions ran away from me. I was just worried about Hermione," Harry mutters, looking at the ground, while shuffling underneath the heavy glare.

"See that it does not happen again, and you have my forgiveness. Now, Mr. Potter, I wish for you to accompany me to my office so that you may have use of my fire grate to exit. Mr. Malfoy, you are free to take your leave as well, back to your dormitory I presume?"

Nodding in agreement, he glances one more time at the former Gryffindor, before accepting the dismissal. The look of regret in his eyes is enough that Draco almost feels a sense of pity for him.

HMDMHMDMHM

Debating between ignoring it altogether or simply confronting him, Hermione remains undecided even as she arrives at her destination. Before she dares knock or attempt to enter, a cough behind her catches her off guard. Twirling around, she finds herself face to face with none other than the person she has sought out to find; Draco Malfoy.  
"What do you want Granger?" he inquires, looking more exhausted than she had seen him in a long while.  
"I," she starts, now becoming unsure once again as she feels his gaze drifting over her.  
"You shouldn't be here. Gryffindor Tower is in the opposite direction," he states pointedly.  
A flare of anger sparks through her, and she allows it to ignite.  
"Stop treating me like some ignorant First Year! I came here to speak to you, you great prick!"  
"Is that so? Did it ever occur to you that I don't want to talk to you!" he shouts, his anger spreading through him like wildfire.  
"That's just too bad, isn't it? You can't just snog me, without my permission-" she begins, before he throws his hands up in the air, choosing at the next moment to cut her off.  
"You didn't seem to have a problem with it when you snogged me back! Bloody hell Granger," Draco spits out, then holding the bridge of his nose, while taking a breath to calm down.

"There's something you're not telling me, and I deserve to know," Hermione concludes crossly..

For a moment, both leer at the other, before Draco opens his mouth to speak again.

"No. You know what? You're not doing this and neither am I. Stay away from me, yeah? I'm through," he states, disappearing into the Slytherin Common Room before the argument can continue any further.

That night, as Hermione lies down, she subconsciously looks out at the stars. What Malfoy had said shouldn't have bothered her, but on a more deep-rooted level, her heart feels heavy for a reason unknown to her.

 **Author's Note: I apologize for the off schedule post. Tuesday will be normal, as planned. Life got in the way of writing time, as it tends to do. Also, as I have stated before, this story was not meant to be short, by any means. I hope you all continue to read as we go along. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed so far! Let me know what you think!**


	24. A Restless Night

Although the plan had been to have a decent night's rest, after two rows in one night, Draco simply could find no will to sleep at all. In the morning when Blaise and Theo tumble down the stairs from their dormitory, they find Draco sitting in the same chair that had been his unspoken spot for as long as either can remember.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing down here mate?" Blaise asks, sauntering over to him.

"Couldn't sleep," the blonde supplies.

"Why is that?" Theo questions, almost naively.

"I think I can answer that one. Harry fucking Potter. His meddling arse is the one to blame for this, I am sure,"

Swiveling his head in what to him seems to be slow motion, Draco asks, "How did you know?"

"I walked by a throng of first and third years who were talking about you two bickering in a hallway when McGonagall caught you," Blaise states, rubbing his eyes as if to see better.

"What was Potter doing here anyways?" Theo queries.

"He came to find me," Draco replies, lamely.

"Are you secretly dating Harry Potter?" Theo poses, thinking he finally understood.

Despite the tension that had been palpable moments before, Draco and Blaise simultaneously burst out laughing, leaving Theo highly confused.

"What? It seemed like a logical option. You kept staring at him outside of the window on the train, you two have been quarrelling for years now, and after everything you've told me, I wouldn't put it past you."

"Theo, there's one minute problem with that whole theory," Draco manages, in between heaves of breath.

"What is that?" he asks now, rather indignantly.

"I don't fancy wizards,"

"He's in love with Hermione Granger," Blaise states simultaneously.

Immediately, Draco snaps his head to look at his best mate.

"Shite," the Italian mutters five seconds later.

"So, I was slightly off. I knew you had a thing for a Gryffindor," Theo shrugs, pretending not to be hurt by the fact that Blaise has clearly known longer.

Dropping his head into his hands, Draco breathes slowly, reigning in the wide range of emotions swirling throughout him.

"I'm sorry mate, I-," Blaise begins, but stops when his friend lifts his head to glare.

"I'll be late to breakfast, but I'll be there. Don't wait for me," he cuts off, standing up in a slightly awkward manner, clearly inhibited by lack of sleep.

Once in the dormitory, suddenly alone again, Draco flops onto his bed. Reaching underneath the mattress, he pulls out the book he had long since kept hidden safely, should prying eyes try to open it. As if some unseen force has grabbed ahold of it, however, when it drops in front of him, the last page is the first one displayed. Handwriting so small he would recognize it anywhere, catches his eye, before he can flip to the front of the book.

 _Dear Draco,_

 _Happy Christmas! I put together this book in the hopes that when you need it most, it will produce that rare smile I cherish so much. I know you have been increasingly more anxious about the future, as have I. Just know that no matter how far apart from each other we may stray, we'll find each other again some day. I have faith in this, just as I have faith in you. I hope you enjoyed your present, darling. I love you,_

 _Sincerely, Hermione_

Sitting up, Draco looks around the room as if it is spinning slightly. How had he never noticed her letter there before? Shoving the book underneath his pillow, so that it remains unseen, he turns over to bury his head in the pillow beside it.

HMDMHMDM

As many other nights, Hermione had not slept well the previous one before either. Restlessness had caused her to toss and turn all night, almost as if someone was tethered to her, pulling the rope. When she rises from her bed, her body feels as if she has not slept one wink. Yawning, she gingerly walks toward the lavatory, before getting ready for the day ahead.

Beside her, Ginny looks into the mirror on the door of her wardrobe as she passes, using it to slyly glance over at her best friend without it being so obvious. While the habitual screams that she had become accustomed to waking her over time did not last night, the sounds of Hermione weeping in her sleep took their place. When they had settled in their four posters, the bushy haired witch had been solemn, but not heartbroken. The wretched cries that she had emitted in her sleep however, said otherwise.

When Hermione returns, Ginny gives her a tentative smile, to which she receives one in return. Brushing out her hair, the red haired witch determines that no matter what, she'll be there when her friend is finally ready to open up about whatever plagues her mind. For now, she simply wants to make it through the rest of the year, with both of their sanities intact.


	25. A Lazy Sunday

The spacious grounds of Hogwarts are filled with students who are enjoying one of the first real days of spring in England. The past few months have gone by, and the winter had taken its toll on all who were in the castle. With the downcast weather now on its way, its counterpart is a welcome long term guest as compared to the frigid temperatures that had been endured just weeks before.

Sprawled out across the green grass beside Black Lake, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna stare up at the sky, watching the clouds that pass by. Hermione, who had become weary of being cooped up in the castle, is grateful for the new season the most, despite what time of year it is leading to.

"The Nargles quite like this type of weather," Luna points out, to which Hermione and Ginny simply nod in agreement from beside her.

Stretching out even further, Ginny creates a large X with her body in the space she occupies.

"It's a wonderful day for Quidditch, you know. Too bad you two have not a sporty bone in either of your bodies," she jibes to the others, smirking.

"I belong where my feet are firmly attached to solid earth," Hermione states, unwaveringly.

"The ground is quite nice, when I'm not colliding with it," Luna adds, in agreement.

"This is why I wish Harry and Ron had returned this year. It would have made times like this more lively."

"In a few more months, we'll all be graduated, and you can go play Quidditch whenever you feel like," Hermione reminds.

Sighing at the reminder, she glances up at the blue sky, becoming slightly nostalgic.

"Just yesterday, we were on the train as ickle firsties, and now we're about to leave this place for good. How did the time get away from us?" Ginny wonders.

"Whether we wish it to or not, time is always moving forward, pressing on even if we can't do the same ourselves," Hermione points out.

"I don't know about either of you, but I am looking forward to sleeping in and playing Quidditch all summer long!" Ginny exclaims in excitement.

"My father has decided he wants to go abroad and spend some time researching the Nargles in more depth. I believe I'll go with him, because I find them fascinating, and for the time being I have nothing better to do."

The group goes silent, while Hermione trains her gaze across the lake, watching a few students grazing the water with their fingers while atop their brooms. Spying Draco Malfoy, she turns away, not wishing to be caught with her eyes upon him. From the moment the pair had rowed months before, neither can stand to be around the other. Silence is a common occurrence, should either be forced to be within the vicinity of the other's presence. She had decided that whatever he knows, is probably better off left alone, at least for the time being.

"What about you Hermione?" Luna inquires.

"I plan to find a menial job, until I can afford-,"

"Hold on. Stop right there. Why would you be worrying about your funds?"  
"I can't stay in that bedroom at your mum and dad's forever Ginny. That's their home. I'm grateful for the time they've allowed me to stay, but I don't wish to outwear my welcome."

"Hermione, you're family!"

Giving her a bittersweet smile, Hermione sits up to speak more.

"I appreciate the sentiment Gin, but I feel like this is something I need to do. I adore you and your family, but I need space of my own. Regardless of whatever happens between Ron and I, you all mean the world to me."

"You say that as if you expect to break up within the future."

"I just want to be realistic Ginny. I am my own person apart from him. As such, I need to be able to live separately until we are at a point where should we choose to live together, we can contemplate that when the time comes. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, just that it should not be right now."

"To each their own, I suppose," the red haired witch replies slightly hurt, then stretching her arms underneath her head.

"I think I'll be heading to the library now. There's some last minute exam questions I need to go over," Hermione states, hopping up and walking away before either Luna or Ginny can suggest otherwise.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

"Good one Draco!" Blaise shouts, when his friend catches the snitch just seconds before a Ravenclaw is able to snatch it up into her grasp from the opposing team.

As during the Christmas holiday, the Slytherins had taken to organizing mock Quidditch games, when the regular house teams aren't playing. However, instead of the teams being divided by House rather, they began to split up by skill level. Younger students remain more of spectators, while the older ones would take to the skies, attempting to form the best teams possible by picking teammates from all Houses. McGonagall had at first been sceptical about the whole venture, but as time had proven, Quidditch could bring together even the most opposite of people.

Soaring down to the ground, people surround the blonde tentatively to pat him on the back, before congratulating the rest of his team on their win. Blaise and Theo finally make their way to him, and drop their brooms in favor of lifting him atop their shoulders. Looking over the multitude of cheering people around them, Draco happens to notice Hermione practically sprinting towards the castle in the distance, and is quite pleased to note that he can hardly care less as to the reason at all.


	26. Simple Conversation

Standing out on the Astronomy Tower, Hermione looks down at the world below her. The still of the night calms her, while she tries to gather her thoughts. Wrapped in a light coat that her mother had bought for her a few years before, she continues to enjoy the soothing feeling that standing under the stars brings.

"May I join you?" a familiar voice asks from behind.

As the footsteps draw nearer to her, chills continue to run up and down her spine.

"Sure," she replies softly.

Leaning his arms against the railing, Draco looks over at Hermione, and immediately notices her apprehension. He hadn't meant to bother her when he had spotted the witch, but finding her in one of their old haunts had simply spiked his curiosity more so than he wished it to.

"I can leave, if my presence bothers you," he suggests, beginning to stand up straight in a move to exit.

"No, it's alright. I was just surprised to find anyone else coming up here, that's all."

"This is one of my favorite spots in the castle," he admits to her for the first time, again.

"Because of the stars?"

"That's one reason, yes."

"Let me guess. Your favorite constellation is that of your namesake?" Hermione lightly jeers.

"Virgo, actually," Draco corrects, watching her expression as he does.

"The second largest constellation in the sky, with the Hydra being the only other one greater in size than it," she rattles off, not realizing the importance.

"Right you are," he replies, with his eyes turned to bore into the stars above.

Exhaling a large breath, Hermione leans her head down on the railing, hoping to stop the pain that had begun surging through her moments before. Knowing it will only anger her should he acknowledge her moment of weakness, Draco just stands there, waiting for her to address him again. When the discomfort finally does pass, she looks over at him, finding that he still has his eyes glued to the sky. The weight of her curiosity burns into his school robes, before he turns to meet the stare.

"Graduation isn't far off," she begins, searching for something to talk about.

"What is it now, two months away?" he responds with a nervous chuckle to follow.

"Nervous, are you?"

"Malfoys are never nervous," he states, pretending to return to his former egotism.

"Is that so?"

"Hardly. I'm terrified, truth be told," he confesses, breaking the facade.

"Draco Malfoy, terrified, who would have thought?" she repeats, rolling her eyes in the process.

"I have to hand it to you Granger, you're a real comedian. Perhaps, that could become your profession once we leave school?"

"Never. I have well thought out plans, none of which involve touring any country to attempt to facilitate a chuck from any one certain person," she points out.

"Of course you do. You wouldn't be Hermione Granger if you didn't."

"I suppose not. Seeing as you are only the second smartest person in our year, and most likely the whole school for that matter, I assume you have at least an inkling of an idea as to what you want to do as well?"

Exhaling with the outline of a smile beginning to etch into his features, Draco shakes his head, before glancing over to her once again.

"I've given it thought, but I remain unsure from one day to the next, if we're continuing this honesty trend."

"Oh?"

"After my participation in the war, it remains to be seen how I will be treated upon exiting this school. While my parents as well as I avoided Azkaban, I could very well find myself practically shunned from our world in general. Only time will tell I suppose," he sighs, pivoting so he can lean on the railing once again, letting the barrier catch him as he falls.

"Anyone who would fault a child for the mistakes of an adult isn't worth your time," Hermione states.

"I was hardly a child."

"You were led to believe what sane adults knew to be false. Had you been surrounded by better role models, I hardly doubt you would have become who you were the past few years or the person I've known in the entire time I've attended Hogwarts, for that matter."

"You are not wrong," he replies, shrugging his shoulders in acceptance.

For a moment, both fall silent, pondering the conversation at hand. Hermione, finding the gumption, turns to the blonde to speak.

"Draco?" she whispers.

"Hermione?" he responds warily, his heart quickening at the sound of his given name upon her lips.

"I forgive you."

"For?" he queries skeptically.

"Everything."

"That encompasses more than I think you realize."

"I cannot speak for anyone but myself. However, you have personally proven to me just by the actions I witnessed during the second half of the war and after, that you are not who you've led everyone to believe the whole time we've been at school."

"Oh?"

"Don't act so surprised. You and I both know that you weren't meant for the life you've led. By circumstance only, you were born into it. Of course, you were a right git for a long time of your own volition. That, I will never vouch for."

"I can't think of anyone who would, nor would I wish for anyone to do so either."

Sighing, the blonde runs his fingers through his hair, wondering where time had gotten away from him. Years before, they had stood here, speaking to each other in a similar manner. That was one reason he had always valued her, because snogging had never been her prime objective, as opposed to actual conversation. He could hardly say much for the girls that would occasionally attempt to corner him before the war had ever occurred.

"It's late, and I should probably tuck in for the night. It was nice talking with you," Hermione states, genuinely.

"You, as well."

When the footsteps fade behind him, Draco finds himself wondering what could possibly be going on in her mind at this very moment.


	27. Between The Shelves

Striding into the library the next day, Draco finds Hermione huddled over a letter, reading fairly quickly. Pulling out a book from a nearby shelf at random, simply not to be left empty handed, he walks over and plops down in a chair that goes with the table she currently sits at. Noticing the movement, she looks up, clearly amused at the words in front of her.

"Hello," she greets skeptically.

"Goodmorning," he replies, enjoying the look of utter confusion on her face.

Eyeing the book in his hands, a smirk grows across her lips, wondering what has come over him.

"Either you nicked that book off of the shelf for show, or I believe your sexuality is hardly what you let everyone else believe it is," she points out, smothering a giggle when he looks down at the novel in his hand, only to be absolutely horrified of its contents.

Chucking the book to the other end of the wooden table, his pale cheeks brighten accordingly.

"Potter take the time to write to you, despite all of the fan mail I am sure he receives?" Draco questions, changing the subject when he notices the handwriting on the parchment.

"On the contrary, Harry writes rather frequently," she answers, a slight sadness overtaking her following the statement.

"I take it Weasley is only recognizing your existence when it suits him still?" Draco queries, after the sudden draft that had blown over her mood.

"Ron is simply going through a lot," Hermione mumbles, while gingerly leaning against her right hand.

"As if you haven't?" Draco replies, slightly infuriated.

"He lost his brother, and-" she begins, looking over at the blonde again, who is earnestly listening to her speak.

"What?" he queries, genuinely bewildered as to why she had ceased speaking.

"Why are you here in the library, listening to me ramble?"

"I have nothing better to do," the blonde shrugs, hoping this will satisfy her curiosity, although highly doubting it.

"Harry and Ron are hardly your favorite people. Why would you care about anything I have to say regarding them?"

"Because, you do," he responds, earnestly, shifting in his seat.

"Oh," she replies, with goosebumps lightly making their way across her body.

A slight blush creeps up upon her cheeks, leaving her momentarily speechless afterwards.

Smirking, he crosses his arms, and begins looking around the room until she is ready to continue the exchange. Sliding her eyes over his body, currently slouching in the wooden chair not far from her, she has trouble dismissing the relatively serene emotion he is exuding. The smile on his face when he turns to her as he notices the heat of her stare, touches the very edges of his eyes, something she herself has never before witnessed. Following suite, her face brightens with a grin which, in his opinion, lights up the whole room.

"You're beautiful, you know," he spouts, before he can take back the words.

"I, er, thank you," Hermione responds, unsure of what to do with the grey eyes glued to her face, readily gauging her reaction.

Registering the flushed cheeks and the quickened breathing that begins exiting her mouth, a smirk plays across his lips again. Perhaps, he wonders silently, if she had fallen in love with him once, could the same miracle happen again? The wonder in her eyes and the pink hue flushing onto her skin suggests that possibly fate could be smiling down upon him one more time.

Trouncing into the library from the large, ornate double doors, Ginny immediately notices Hermione, but stops in her tracks when she finds the other person occupying the same table. Instead of immediately proceeding forward, she steps a few lengths sideways to hide behind a bookshelf not far from where either sit. Through the open design of this current bookcase, she is able to witness the unfailing smile on her best friend, coupled with the ambiance surrounding her so completely. Turning her attention to the blonde opposite of the bushy haired witch, she is quite shocked to find him in a similar unguarded fashion, sitting there having a conversation with Hermione as if he had never wanted anything more out of life.

Slipping away quietly, Ginny's mind is reeling, while she wonders what kind of alternate universe she had walked into minutes before.


	28. Anomalies Abound

"Alright class. I have a little surprise for all of you today," Bill starts, glancing around his classroom, currently filled with fourth years.

"While your older counterparts are studying furiously for their exams, I thought I would bring in a few students who particularly excel in Defence to show you all what a Patronus looks like."

A hand immediately shoots up, reminding him of none other than Hermione Granger. However, the little girl with the short blonde hair is nothing like her, except in perhaps personality.

"Yes miss Stone?"

"Professor Weasley, patronus' are meant to be very advanced magic. How is it that students are able to cast them, if even certain more powerful witches and wizards are unable?"

"Miss Stone, you are correct. Ten points to Hufflepuff. Now, let me ask you all this, have you ever heard of Dumbledore's Army?" he queries with a sly grin.

As if on cue, Hermione and select other members of the D.A. file in, including Luna, Neville, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, and the Patil twins. Immediately, they all walk towards the front of the room, turning to face the now excited class.

"Take it away, guys," Bill says, amused at the expression on Alison Stone's face, as well as the others in the room.

A quick cursory glance between all of the members, has Hermione stepping forward shortly after.

"As many of you may know, we are each a part of a group called Dumbledore's Army. We created it for the sole purpose of teaching ourselves Defence spells that we should have been learning in the classroom, but were not allowed to owing to the fact that the Ministry had their hands in all matters related to Hogwarts during our fifth year. Out of our frustration and yearning to remain prepared for what we inevitably knew we would eventually face head on, the D.A. was founded, with my friend Harry Potter the main instructor. Through him, I learned as much, if not more, than by way of simply devouring a book on the same spells. Practical use of non harmful magic is the most useful way to learn any spell, as evidence with show through our demonstration of the Patronus charm today."

"Well said, Hermione. Now, who would like to go first?" Neville asks, looking between them.

Ginny steps up, with her wand in hand.

Swishing her wand in perfect form, she utters only two words along with the movement, "Expecto patronum!"

Immediately, a horse rushes out, galloping around the room before dissolving once she brings him to her side.

"Well done Ginny," Bill claps, clearly in awe of his sister's raw talent.

Solemnly, Seamus walks forward a few moments later, concentration etched all over his face.

"Expecto patronum!"

A fox prances out of his wand, looks around for a moment, then dissolves. When he returns to the line, Dean is the first one to give him a pat on the back, before stepping to the front to cast his own. When his lion does a full circle around the room, as Ginny's own patronus had, he allows it to disappear into thin air.

"Good show!" Bill states, clapping for him, as he and the other students had all done for the ones before him as well.

When Dean steps back into line, Seamus noticeably wraps his right arm around the taller wizard's waist, while Luna steps forward. Moments later, a hare is witnessed prancing across the tops of other students desks, only to dissolve once it has made its way to the back of the room. With nearly everyone having gone, the D.A. members look to Hermione and then glance to the front of the room. Taking the hint, she proceeds to the designated area, brandishing her wand in a familiar motion, before beginning the spell.

However, unlike each time before, her Patronus comes out in nothing more than wisp. All around her, she notices a few audible gasps, which in frustration she pays no mind. Swishing her wand around again in a circular motion, she clearly speaks the words, "Expecto Patronum!"

This time, her Patronus comes out in a corporeal fashion, however, it is a clear mixture of two different animals. With her exasperation getting the better of her, she sprints out of the room in confusion, embarrassed that everyone had witnessed her flub.

In her absence, Bill looks at the gawking members of the D.A., as well as his class before he readily admits, "I've never seen anything of the sort."

Meanwhile, Hermione races to the library, hoping somewhere in there she will find the answer to her strange circumstance.

When Draco finds Hermione in the library later that day, surrounded by piles of books, he immediately knows that something is amiss. As he sits down and she takes no notice of him, with her head buried in a large tome, he acknowledges that whatever has upset her, will eventually be remedied. Picking up a random book from the pile directly beside him, he looks at the title, with his blood then turning cold. The title, "So You Want To Produce A Corporeal Patronus?", reveals at least partially what is wrong.

A grunt of frustration coupled with her shoving aside the current novel, she then turns her brown eyes on him, which he can tell were filled with tears earlier.

"Ginny's brother Bill requested that we demonstrate our patronus' in one of his Defence classes earlier. Everyone else was able to produce something of note, while mine looked like a baffled otter who had mated with what looked to be a dragon," she answers, after noticing the quizzical expression upon his face, then exhaling in frustration.

"I see."

"I just don't understand. My patronus has always been an otter, or at least, I thought it had been. I've never had it form something like that before. It was completely embarrassing," she states, her head falling into her hands.

"Hermione, there's-,"

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Ginny exclaims, from the other side of the table, unable to see Draco for all the books Hermione had lain across her workspace.

"You needn't have looked long. I've been in here the entire time, searching for something that closely resembles my quandary."

"It's nearly time for supper. You should at the very least take a break and-,"  
"No. I can't face the rest of the D.A. without an explanation. You can go to the Great Hall without me. I'll be here, researching."

"If you're sure. Want me to sneak you some food up to the common room?"

"No. I'll see if I can bribe the elves when I'm finished here. They may not like me, but I've never known them to starve a hungry witch or wizard."

"See you later then," Ginny trails off, completely unaware of the other person listening to the conversation as she exits.

"I have to agree with her. You can't forgo a basic necessity to satisfy your bruised ego. I'm certain the answers will be here even after you consume your supper."

"I can't, I need-,"

"If you refuse to go eat, will you at least follow me? I have another distraction in mind."

When both Draco and Hermione cease walking on the flush grass that covers the grounds during spring at Hogwarts, they find themselves at the empty Quidditch Pitch, where he promptly drops his school bag in favor of going to find his broom. Hermione watches on suspiciously, up until he brings out his broomstick from the Slytherin Quidditch locker room, to which she is slightly disappointed.

"Please tell me you did not bring me out here just so I can watch you fly around on that thing," Hermione exclaims, disgust oozing from her.

"Definitely not. You're coming up there with me," he states, motioning towards the pink tinged sky, despite knowing the protests that will soon come.

"Absolutely not! My feet belong firmly planted to the ground," she points down to the earth beneath their feet for emphasis.

"If I recall, you seemed to have no qualms about your feet leaving it when you rode that dragon out of Gringotts," he argues.

"That was different. There was more to him, and we-," she starts, before losing her train of thought, remembering how terrified she had been the whole time.

"I know love, but if you can ride a dragon, surely, riding a broom will be far easier. Also, seeing as I'll be the one actually steering it, you really have nothing to worry about, except enjoying the ride," he shrugs, nonchalantly, quelling his excitement at the mere possibility of her agreeing to the venture.

"You do make a fair argument, except for dismissing the fact that I positively hate flying! The few times I have were merely out of necessity, rather than recreation. Being in the air, it terrifies me," she admits softly.

"Who says that can't change?" he questions gently, leaning against his now vertical broom.

Biting her lip, she glances between the castle and the pitch, wondering what Ginny would think if she were present. At this thought, something inside of her urges her body to slowly move forward, closer to the anomaly that has continued to be Draco Malfoy. Gingerly, she drops her own school bag to the ground, then steps up next to the tall Slytherin.

Offering his right hand to her, while he mounts the broom himself, he carefully guides her to sit behind him. When she is finally situated, he glances back to say, "Hold on tight, okay?"

To which she responds by second guessing the whole venture, "On second thought, maybe I should just-,"

Kicking off lightly, effectively cuts her off, with her subsequently reaching around him to hold on for dear life. Smirking, he allows the broom to climb higher, before slowly floating forward.

"Draco?" she practically screams, despite the turtle like pace they are currently at, nearly causes him to laugh outright.

"Yes?"

"I realize I should have said this before, but promise me that you won't go too fast or try any of those ridiculously dangerous Quidditch moves you and Harry love to do,"

"Not to worry. My aim is not to terrify you out of your wits."

Accepting the statement skeptically, she grips tighter, hoping that she lives to one day see the ground. Her fears are assuaged slowly, however, while she keeps her eyes shut for the first few minutes in the air, unwilling to look at her surroundings. The rhythm of the broom becomes familiar as the ride continues, with Draco barely taking it any higher than a first year would fly, so as not to scare her. When they begin to descend, Hermione opens one eye slowly, to see the Black Lake below them. Feeling the pressure of her squeezing tighter, he turns the broom so that when she fully unfurls her eyelids, she will become aware of the sunset before them.

"Merlin," she gasps behind him moments later.

"You can't see views like this from the ground, now can you?"

"No, I suppose not," she admits, leaning her head against his back, admiring the colors painted across the sky.

"Hermione?"

"What?" she asks, hardly lifting her head from where it sits.

"Do you trust me?"

The question takes Hermione by surprise, which is then followed by silence. In the time since they had returned to Hogwarts, he had not given her a reason to question him, despite what he had previously led her to believe. Suddenly, in her mind, everything that had led up to this point converges together, as if this moment is the missing puzzle piece. A different view, she muses, is all that she needed to realize the truth.

"I have for a long time, haven't I?"

"Yes," he breathes out shakily, wondering in what direction she plans to take the conversation now

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I think this is a conversation better suited for the ground," he declares, then begins flying back towards where they had originally ascended into the air.


	29. Affirmation

If he had not been apprehensive before, Draco certainly is now, with his blood pressure beating in a wild frenzy. Sitting adjacent to Hermione once again behind her outlandish stacks of books, he watches as she purses her lips just so, with him formulating a beginning to his whole explanation from beside her. Finally sighing in resignation, he leans forward, loosely twining one of his hands with her own.

"I'm an open book love. What do you wish to know?"

The butterflies that well up inside of her at the simple touch of his hand are nothing short of confusing, but are even more of an incentive for her to discover what has been kept hidden from her for much too long. The question that has been burning inside of her for a year now escapes before she can thwart it from tumbling out.

"Why do you look at me as if I'm the sun of your own personal universe?"

"Because for me, that is exactly what you are," he states tenderly, while tracing the pad of his thumb across her own hand, causing goosebumps to form all over her arm in rapid succession.

"When you say it like that, it's hard to take it as anything but the undeniable truth," she whispers.

"Well, it has been my truth since we were fifteen."

"Fifteen?" she asks quietly, the gears beginning to rotate in her mind around the statement.

"Yes," he affirms softly.

"My version of fifth year includes only you being an insufferable prat."

"I imagine it would," Draco nods knowingly, attempting to hide the way his body is threatening to convulse out of sheer nerves.

"How?" she finally whispers, refusing to glance away from the grey eyes that currently hold her own.

"I obliviated you."

In the back of her mind, she had known for a period of time this secret that he had been withholding. His confirmation, however, makes it that much more real.

"I need to hear your side of this whole time period in your words with no embellishments or removal of any details, no matter how hard it may be for you to speak them aloud."

"Would you rather hear my version, or would you rather witness it for yourself?"


	30. Here With You

While replacing all of the books that she had removed from various shelves in the library, Hermione's hands are shaking. She had requested not even thirty minutes before that Draco give her a moment to process what would be happening in a little more than a half hour. Her burning curiosity would come to fruition as she would finally be able to understand what had been hidden from her.

In the case of her parents, her obliviation on their minds had been quite thorough, to say the least. She had not meant for them to ever remember her, should anything happen to go South. Hermione, however, even now, can feel the cracks in the same spell that the Slytherin had rendered upon her a few years previously. Either he had not been powerful enough to foster a charm that would sustain, or his actions did align with his words; in his adolescent heart, he could not muster enough magic to keep the charm from breaking, should Voldemort fail.

Watching her from the other side of the room as she absorbs herself in the task at hand, acutely aware of each and every move she makes as she directs the books floating in all directions back to their places; Draco leans against the wall, simply waiting for her to finish. Madame Pince had merely nodded when Hermione had given her notice of what she had planned to do, sniffed in Draco's general direction, as if she were worried he could harm her books just by breathing near them, then disappeared to go rangle other hooligans out of the library for closing time.

After what feels to be hours to her, when in stark contrast is only minutes, she breathes a sigh of relief, when all of the books have been returned to their proper places. Subduing the intense nerves that are rifling through her, she takes a purposeful breath, then treading over to where the blonde Slytherin still remains.

"Are you absolutely certain that you wish to do this?" Draco asks, almost wishing that she will back down on the slim chance his plan should go awry.

"You know as well as I that whether I wish to know or not, eventually the memories will surface. Would you rather be the one to show me, or for me to find out on my own?"

"Too right you are. Now, at this time, do you have any knowledge of Occlumency or Legilimency?"

"I have attempted it some, yes," Hermione concedes.

" Of course you have," he smirks, before continuing, "Instead of outright lifting the charm, I'm hoping that if I show you brief glimpses of various memories, then I will be able to provoke the mental block I set up to dissipate. I fear that if I lift the charm too quickly, the memories of the past few years colliding will be all too much for you at once."

"Do you perceive me to be weak, then?" she scoffs aloud at the thought.

"Hardly. You're one of the strongest individuals that I have had the privilege of coming into contact with. However, it can all become quite taxing for your mind when readjusting to the actual reality of what is, in contrast to what you had previously believed to be the truth."

"I see. Let's go then, because eventually if I fail to return to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny will send out a search party for me," she asserts drily.

Nodding in agreement, Draco leads the way out of the large chamber which they had occupied now for some time, only to take them to the place where this had all begun.

While he had never been one for nostalgia, for the purpose of good luck and also to hopefully calm himself, he has chosen to take her to the spot where they had shared their first actual kiss, right after Christmas break of their fifth year. Standing in front of her, he looks into the dark eyes in front of him, alight with nervousness, but also filled with a certain burning desire that only intense curiosity could bring. Closing the door behind them and throwing up the cursory silencing charm, he centers his mind, willing away anything that which does not pertain to the current moment. When he is finished, he opens his eyes wide, waiting for the feeling of the intrusion that will occur as soon as Hermione steps behind the mental veil to his thoughts.

The first memory that he allows to surface is one of the pair lying on the Quidditch Pitch, the pair having books strewn around them, merely holding hands as they study. The sight fills Hermione with a sense of longing, as well as a certain warmth. Watching them speaking about Umbridge and the current school year, she feels as if a cloud that had previously hung over her is slowly vanishing.

The next recollection that appears is one where they are rowing in the very room in which they now stand. Shortly after, a patronus that she hardly recognizes, surges out from the tip of her wand. Again, the feeling of warmth trickling through her persists, while a burst of recognition flashes through her mind, as if to illuminate that which she did not fully understand.

One that floats through shortly after catches her eyes in particular. The pair lie on the astronomy tower floor, cuddled around each other, simply enjoying each other's company. As she wills the memory to stay at the forefront, it's as if a tidal wave has slammed into her, recognition swallowing her whole. Staggering backwards a few moments later under the weight of the knowledge which she acquired only seconds ago, he steps forward, catching the dizzy witch in his arms. When she opens her eyes, grey eyes meet her gaze as she looks directly above her, attempting to regain her normal balance. Stepping away, he allows her to have room to catch her breath.

"Are you alright?" he questions apprehensively from a few feet away.

"Draco," she whispers, inhaling the air around her, almost as if she were nearly gasping for it.

"Hermione, is it really you?"

"I told you we'd always find a way back to each other," she states, smiling at him as if he had hung the moon.

Light on his feet, the blonde walks forward, colliding with Hermione in the middle of the space that had previously been between the pair. With ease, he lifts her into his arms, as she wraps herself seamlessly around him when he does. Leaning over, he kisses her with fervor, ecstatic when he receives the same sentiment from her lips in return.

 **Author's Note: I have written, rewritten, deleted, and debated on this chapter for over a month straight. Thank you for all of the follows, favorites, and reviews. I also have to thank my newest Beta Heather, for stepping in and helping edit this chapter. You all are amazing! As for the rest of the story, I do hope you will all stay tuned. 3**


	31. Clarity

Ruminating over thoughts dancing wildly through her mind, Hermione's over active brain is spinning as she stares deeply into the tea in front of her. Warm tea before bedtime has always been a bit of a pick me up on nights when she has trouble falling asleep. Having her memory restored, as Draco had pointed out, has been quite demanding on her mind. Ginny walking through the door of their shared dormitory, she spies the tea and innately knows her friend is in deep thought. About what, many could wonder, including the ginger witch herself.

Stepping over towards her wardrobe, she begins disrobing certain layers of clothing in favor of lighter garments which she pulls from the depths of the piece of furniture. When she has finished, she turns to find Hermione staring still into the cup which holds her tea, hardly moving at all. If she were of the Fred or George sort, tea would be spilled all over the her. However, the younger sister of the Weasley clan has a certain tact that not each one of them can match.

"Hermione?" Ginny speaks softly, as she leans against the wooden armoire behind her.

For a moment, the bushy haired witch ignores her, before shaking her head and turning to spy her best friend in the room.

"Oh, Ginny. I did not even hear you enter the room. How long have you been standing there?"

Stretching out, Hermione cautiously moves to stand up and walk around for a moment. The strain her muscles feel as she rises is enough to remind her she has been sitting in the same position for far too long. Ginny watches her, eyeballing the way she moves, wondering still what is running through her friend's mind.

"Not long. Is there something you'd like to talk about? You seem to have been quite concentrated on that cup when I walked in."

Setting her mug on the nightstand beside her four poster, she then turns to Ginny and points to her bed. In younger years, the pair would stay up hours whispering and giggling through the night if they were not at odds with each other. Hermione had held this secret in willingly and unwillingly for such an extended period of time, and no longer has the desire to do so any more. Despite obvious repercussions, she chooses to clue her female best mate in on the mystery.

HMDMHMDM

Sauntering into the Slytherin Common Room, Draco has an extra pep to his step that had not existed hours before. Theo and Blaise immediately turn to the sound of him entering the chamber, taking note of his jovial demeanor.

"What's gotten into you mate?" Blaise inquires, at the sight of a noticeably happier blonde Slytherin.

Inclining his head toward his two best mates, he speaks the words he never thought he ever would be able to, "She remembers me."

Disregarding the fact that others are sleeping at the current hour, both Slytherins sitting on the couch opposite of their friend jump up and begin a series of various catcalls and cheerful shouts as they surround Draco in a large hug. Grinning ear to ear, he rough houses with them and truly enjoys the celebration which only the three of them share.

Elsewhere in the castle, Hermione sits on her bed with Ginny, awaiting a reply following the very length explanation she had just given. The placid expression on Ginny's face remains as she attempts to find the words to voice how she feels regarding the whole matter.

"That explains an awful lot."

"Promise me that you will allow me to be the one to tell Ron. I haven't the heart to write it all to him, so when time lends itself, I will set him straight."

"I may be disappointed, and I always had hoped you would end up with my brother, but I truly just want you to be happy. Whether that is with the ferret, as odious as he can be, or with my brother, that is your decision. You were not named the brightest witch of your age for naught."

"Thank you Ginny. I appreciate that. Let us hope that Harry and Ron will remember that when I break the news to them."

"If they value your happiness, then they will understand. If not, well, I am quite skilled at the Bat Bogey Hex," the redhead reminds, with a twinkle in her eye.

Reaching out, Hermione embraces her friend, grateful that at least one other understands.


	32. Where She Leads

"Professor, you called us here?" Hermione acknowledges as she and Draco seat themselves in front of the Headmistress' desk.

"Yes, dear. I have a request for the pair of you."

Glancing at both Hermione and Draco from the converse side of her desk, Minerva McGonagall is not ignorant to the relative ease each has while sitting next to one another, as well as the furtive look they give each other immediately following her statement.

"Yes Headmistress?" Hermione queries.

"I am quite aware of all that you and young Mr. Malfoy have persevered through this year, which is why I would be quite pleased to see you two alone to open the Graduation ceremony on behalf of your class."

Inhaling sharply, Draco's eyes widen, while Hermione looks over at him worriedly.

"I do understand, however, that you may wish otherwise, which is why I have brought you both here. Should only Miss Granger choose to speak, I will not think any less of you, Mr. Malfoy. However, both of you are the highest ranking pupils in your year, and it would be wholly remiss of me to exclude you from an event that you have worked for your entire academic career."

"Headmistress, not to be unkind, but how in the sodding hell did I still manage to keep my standing when sixth and seventh year I hardly managed to eat, much less have time for school work?"

"From my records, despite your indiscretions, you seem to have fared just fine."

"What exactly do you expect me to say up there then? Everyone in the audience will not give a damn about what I have to say!" he shouts emphatically.

"Draco," Hermione starts, reaching a hand out to console him.

"Hermione, you cannot possibly believe that this is a good idea," he states, swivelling his face towards her, slipping his hand through her own. "Even you, for all of your faith in me, must recognize that I am not far off the mark. If I stand before the whole school next to you, I will feel like nothing more than a farce."

"The ceremony is a week from today. I trust you both to make the decision that is best," the headmistress asserts, conscious of the affection emanating from both the Gryffindor and the Slytherin.

"Thank you Headmistress. We will take all that you have said into consideration."

Standing up, the pair walk toward the door hand in hand, separating only when he moves to open it so that she may exit before him. Looking back, the older Gryffindor nods at him kindly, which is the last glimpse he sees of the room as he promptly follows the way in which Hermione leads.


	33. Graduation Day

"I cannot believe that today is finally the day. This year seems to have gone by so quickly," Ginny offers up as she assists Hermione with adjusting her graduation cap upon her head.

"You're not the only one," Hermione responds, staring at her reflection in the mirror of her wardrobe, watching as her head piece moves centimeters forward.

"Did he ever decide whether or not he will be opening the ceremony with you?"

"No, but I doubt he will."

The blunt statement deters Ginny not in the least.

"I think he should."

Taken aback, Hermione looks over at her, gauging her sincerity.

"Why?"  
"If the Wizarding World is to ever completely patch itself up again, the two of you standing together in a show of unity before the whole congregation assembled today will at least assure people that there is hope for a better world, or at least a changed one."

"You're right, you know. Good luck convincing him of that though."

"You leave him to me, okay?"

"What on earth are you about to do?"

"Don't you worry your bushy little head about that. Now, focus on all of this, while I go and have a little talk with that snake of yours."

"How will you finish readying yourself then?"

"I'll find time," the redhead shouts as she hurries out of the door before her friend can say a word otherwise.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

All around the castle, its occupants are in a rush, attempting to finalize last minute details in preparation for the ceremony only hours away. Wending her way through all of the commotion, the youngest Weasley arrives at the door to the Slytherin common room after dodging conversations or others requesting favors from her. Without even asking, she gives the password, and the portal swings open for the sneaky Gryffindor.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing down here?" a voice calls out, which she passively ignores in favor of shutting the door behind.

"I don't want any trouble. I simply need to speak with Malfoy. If someone would be so kind as to point me in his direction, I would be ever so grateful," Ginny declares, leaving no room for argument as she glances around the room.

The younger Slytherins occupying the Common Room all look between each other, finally choosing to acquiesce to her demand.

"He's in his room," a dark haired boy, no more than 12, points out to her.

"Thank you."

Marching in the direction to which she had been told, Ginny unabashedly tromps her way up to the 8th year boys Dormitory, intent on finding a specific blonde.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

"Hermione, are you there?"

"What in the world-" she starts, before turning around, only to be engulfed by two sets of male arms at the same time seconds later.

"I thought you two were not due here for at least another hour?" she voices, once she is able to pull away from the embrace Harry and Ron had held her in.

"We were, but-" Harry starts, only to be cut off by the third part of the Golden Trio.

"McGonagall allowed us to use her Floo!"

"That's," Hermione pauses, suddenly conscious about their presence, "wonderful."

While Ron notices nothing out of place, Harry immediately pin points the way her smile does not fully reach her eyes. Locking gazes with her, the bespectacled wizard merely nods, giving her a silent signal that they would definitely be speaking later.

HMDMHMDMHMDM

Knocking at his door, only so that she does not accidentally witness a portion of any wizard's body other than Harry's, Ginny waits for someone to answer the door. When it swivels open, she comes face to face with none other than Blaise Zabini.

"What do you want Weasley?" Blaise jeers warily.

"I wish to speak with your blonde best friend. Would you know where I might find him?"

"Mate, it's for you," the dark skinned Italian calls out as he steps aside.

"Who is it?" Draco asks, walking out as he twists his black tie around his neck.

When he spies Ginny, he immediately looks around her, wondering whether she had simply followed his girlfriend here. However, when he does not spy the apple of his eye, he turns his attention to the newcomer in the room.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit Weaslette?"

"Could we talk for a moment?"

Dropping his guard, he takes in her bearing, advancing closer to ask a more serious question.

"Is it Hermione? Is everything alright?"

Watching his features morph from collected to worried in mere moments at even the thought of her friend in pain softens her a bit more to her standoffish peer.

"She's just fine. I elected myself to speak with you, while she finishes getting ready."

"Oh. I suppose we can for a moment. Blaise would you mind?"  
"Of course not. Why should I be privy to what the Weaslette has to say? For all I know, she could attempt to kill you before we ever have a chance to walk the stage. But yes, for the sake of conversation I will leave the room, only to appease you, your blondeness," Blaise orates dramatically, as he treads toward the door.

Shaking his head at his best friend's tomfoolery, when the door shuts, Draco looks calmly at Ginny while she sits down on Theo's bed.

"May I be blunt?"  
"Have you ever been anything but?"

"I suppose not."

"Right now, you believe that it will be far worse to opt out of a speech you have been entitled to since practically the moment you entered this school, am I correct?"  
"Did Hermione send you here?"

"No, I meant what I said. I came here of my own volition."

"Why do you care? I figured you would be the last Gryffindor to ever set foot in these dungeons by choice."

"You are important to Hermione, which by extension makes you important to me."

A held stare is shared between them before he averts his eyes, in favor of the floor below.

"I cannot go up there. I would not feel right in doing so. I may be despicable, but I still have morals."

Inhaling a deep breath, she tries once again to find words eloquent enough to permeate his stubborn mind.

"You are not as horrible as you would lead everyone else to believe, you know. If Hermione fell in love with you, there are clearly qualities about you that many have yet to see. She has faith in you, as do I in her. You made some fucked up decisions, but you had reasons. You're no Fenrir Greyback, and certainly no Voldemort. I believe, given the right circumstances, you could be something less of the arse we've come to know, and more of a decent human being."

"I appreciate the kind words, but-"

"Malfoy, listen to me. If our world is to right itself again, our fellow witches and wizards need signs of hope that they can cling to, showing that there is change, and that it is possible. If you wish to begin doing good, then this is a start."

"I'm no hero, Weasley. I'm the bad guy in this narrative, remember?"

"At one time, you were," Ginny shrugs in agreeance, "People change."

"I'll think-,"

"The ceremony begins in a few hours. I expect you up on that stage, as will Hermione once I tell her you will be. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Draco replies, not even bothering to fight it any longer.

"Do not let her down, Draco. More importantly, do not let yourself down," she breathes as she exits the room.

When she begins walking down the stairs, Ginny spies Blaise sitting on the arm of the large sofa in the middle of the Common Room, conferring quietly with the only other Slytherin 8th year boy, Theodore Nott. At the sound of her footsteps, both look up, regarding her circumspectly.

"Will we find our best mate all in one piece Weaslette?" Blaise asks, looking over her suspiciously.

"Unless he has caused himself harm, then yes."

"You have a lot of nerve coming down here, you know," Theo states in slight admiration.

"I do not scare easily. After Death Eaters, you lot are nothing in comparison."

"You and Hermione are something else," Blaise points out, noticing the way Theo glances at her.

"Thank you," Theo says quietly, looking at her evenly.

"For what?"

"For helping rid the world of that horrible excuse of a wizard, but more importantly, for not equating us with the sins of our fathers," Theo enunciates softly.

Giving him more than a quick glance, she is able to see the way that he holds himself a bit higher now, instead of sagging his shoulders. He had always been the quiet one, much like Harry, only far less of a trouble maker. The heat of her curiosity causes his cheeks to brighten with a pink stain across the light skin.

"You are more than welcome," she replies, a twinkle entering her eyes.

"You're alright for a Gryffindor," Blaise inserts, breaking through the moment she and Theo share.

"I suppose you lot are not too bad for Slytherins either. Now that we've all decided that we can stand to be in a room with one another, I should go finish dressing. The ceremony is nearly here, and I do not fancy myself being late. See you boys later," Ginny calls as she exits the common room without another glance back.

"Thank you all, for taking the time to be here today. I suppose many of you are wondering what I am doing up here, standing next to the Hermione Granger. Well, frankly, I am wondering that myself," Draco addresses, to a largely uncomfortable crowd, with many eyeing him distrustfully.

In the back, Hermione notices Ron and Harry reaching for their wands, out of sheer habit. Bestowing a stern look upon them, they merely move as if they had meant to lean against the wall of the Great Hall behind them. Coughing to clear his throat, he lets the hopefulness he had just witnessed in Hermione's eyes be his motivation to continue.

"For the past year, the student body as well as the rest of our world, has been healing in the aftermath of a war that no one in this room ever truly wanted. Admittedly, years before, I thought it was exactly what I had always dreamed of. However, as we all tend to do as we become older, we arrive at the realization that not everything we were taught to believe as children is always true."

A nervous rustling begins, while others outright glare at his mother sitting alone in the corner of the room. Anyone who would dare turn around, is treated to a look that makes each one swivel their line of sight directly back to the front.

"I have struggled along, just as the rest of the world has this past year, attempting to find a beacon of hope that all will return to our semblance of normal in a somewhat timely manner. However, in a sense, our world as we have known it will never be the same again," he pauses, gathering his emotions up just a bit more before continuing, "If I could, I would bring back every single person of noble intent. I would trade my life for any one of them, because I do realize they are a far better contribution to humanity than I will ever be at this point in time. Sadly, that is not the way it works, here or anywhere for that matter."

A shaky breath exhales between his lips, as he searches for the words to continue.

"As we take our diplomas today, I hope that we will be entering a world filled with less prejudice, and more of what the ones who perished throughout the war had been fighting for.

"Now, this witch beside me should be given every accolade and every applause, because her light will forever brighten the world from wherever she stands, and she has proven that she is more than deserving of them all. In academic prowess, her and I may be mere points from each other, but in truth, I will never measure up to the person that she is. Please, welcome the brightest witch of our age, Hermione Jean Granger."

Once she has magically enhanced her voice, he gives her a nod, and promptly sprints out of the doors of the Great Hall. The anxiety of the whole event had finally taken enough toll on his mental state, and he needed out of the stifling room with the glaring onlookers. However, little did he realize how much of an impact his speech had actually made. From her spot in the room, the Headmistress watches him escape the Hall with a sense of pride that at least one of her students had grown immensely as a person in the time she had been his professor.


	34. Merrymaking

"What in the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron whispers to Harry, while they watch as Hermione speaks before the graduating class and their loved ones.

"I dunno," Harry responds, only to placate his best mate for the time being.

A feeling in the pit of Ron's stomach grows as he continues to listen to Hermione, noticing she can hardly take her eyes off of the door which Draco had exited through minutes before. The past year from the moment she began her eighth year plays over in his mind, and suddenly a dreadful thought occurs to him. Could this have been the reason she had become so distant?

"To the graduating class of Hogwarts of 1999, I wish you all the luck in the world, as we traverse into our next great adventure," she ends, grateful to have finished her speech, even having rushed it quite a bit.

A round of applause begins throughout the room, while Hermione quite openly follows the blonde out in the way that he had run. Behind her, Harry and Ron tail, each for their own separate reasons. Narcissa observes them leaving, but makes no move to trail them. She would have her time with the pair, that she is sure of. However, right now she presumes, righting preconceived notions is something they can accomplish together all by themselves.

When Harry and Ron find Hermione, she is on the steps of the Entrance Staircase, sitting quite close to the Slytherin. Harry's heart drops for a moment, if only for Ron, who is viewing this all completely unaware of what has previously transpired. The footfalls echoing around them has Hermione and Draco both ceasing their conversation,

"What's all this about then?" Ron asks, his voice slightly rising at the sight before him.

"Ron, I can explain," Hermione begins, standing up as if to shield the wizard behind her.

"Please do," he states, eyeing the way Draco Malfoy's gaze follows her protectively.

"This really is not a conversation-,"

"Do you love him?" Ron demands flatly, scrutinizing the Slytherin's inability to take his eyes off of Hermione.

"Yes, I do," she replies, without hesitation.

"Alright then. We can discuss this later. You both have a graduation to attend."

Diplomas having been acquired, Draco and Hermione stride across the grounds, quietly enjoying one another's company. The coming days will undoubtedly be rough, despite their wishes to the contrary. In this moment however, the pair are acknowledging none of this, for the sake of a short bout of peace. All around them, the rest of their graduating class is running every which way, shooting up fireworks and the like into the air in celebration of their first night as a fully recognized adult in the Wizarding World.

"Would you like to take a broom ride with me?" Draco queries, simultaneously becoming aware of the fact that his best friend Theo has Ginny on his shoulders, while she sends gigantic displays into the sky above.

"I suppose I could, seeing as the previous time when you coerced me, you did not actually allow me to plummet to my death."

"I would never, Hermione," he reminds, a certain seriousness overcoming him.

"I know," she replies, staring at him with stars in her eyes.

Slipping her hand through his, she strolls beside him to the broom cupboard that is a part of the Slytherin Quidditch locker room. Meandering through the multitude of others alive around them, the couple continues to a place much quieter, away from prying eyes. Once inside, Draco shuts the door behind her, sealing it. This had clearly been much more than just about retrieving a broom stick, Hermione notes.

Making certain that she has nothing within her grasp, her male companion promptly presses her against the wall in a possessive manner, grateful for a moment alone. The gasp that emits from Hermione is one of anticipation and happiness, as he begins trailing heated kisses all over every inch of her skin that is currently visible to him. Not wishing to frighten her, he shies away from stripping her of any clothing just yet, as they have not touched like this for years in counting. That, he is sure, will change this night.


	35. Nine Years Later

"Remind me again why we are attending yet another function for old schoolmates that we only send Christmas cards to once year?" Draco calls out from the bathroom, as he adjusts his white shirt.

"Quit being such a prat. Dean and I regularly exchange letters, and this is a big deal for both he and Seamus."

"It is a baby shower. Technically, I should not even be attending this fête," he states, walking into their bedroom.

"In your archaic mind, yes. Has it escaped your notice however, that both Dean and Seamus are attending as well?"

"They are the new parents! Of course they must be there!"

"Don't you start again, Draco. You are going, and that is final. Harry and Theo will be there."

"Only because Ginny is making them!" he shouts dramatically, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Insignificant details," she smirks, checking her makeup in the mirror once more.

"Will there at least be Firewhiskey?"

"Really darling, your dramatics are showing."

"Alright! I'll go. Do not expect me to like it though."

"I am quite certain you will be just fine," she says, turning around to reach out for his hand, which he begrudgingly takes.

"It hurts, being aware that they will have a healthy child, after we lost our own only a year before," he admits, the facade disappearing.

"I know Draco, and that baby will always be a part of us, but it is time to acknowledge the world around us again darling."

"You are not wrong," he breathes, leaning his head into the hand that rubs soothingly against his cheek.

"One day, we may have our own family, but right now this is about Dean and Seamus. Can you at least handle being there for me? I may be strong, but even I need a shoulder to lean on every now and again."

"Of course love. Are you ready to do this?" he asks, giving her hand a squeeze.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replies, a tear sliding down her face.

Kissing it away lightly, Draco then leads them to the Floo, replacing the mask upon his face. Leaving hand in hand, the pair greet the rest of the day together as they had done for years, and will continue to do for the rest of their lives.

~ El Fin ~

 **Author's Note: A few house keeping notes before I complete this fic.**

 **1\. To all of the followers and readers who have made it thus far, I thank you. You have been the reason that I solely powered through and finished this story above all others first. The reviews are what really were a candle in the dark when I struggled to put words on the page. You have my sincere gratitude whichever way you chose to show your love for the story though. 3**

 **2\. There will be an alternate ending, which will continue this story well beyond Hogwarts and go along with canon. I have no specific time frame for this ending, but when I begin it, I will be posting it away separately from this story under the name "Life After Love: A Continuation." It will be a slow burn, and be what I had originally meant for this to become. However, I also felt it could be told this way as well. A notification will be posted in this story to remind you when I do begin it, if you wish to continue to follow once I hit the complete button. - Also, there may be a few short one shots elaborating on certain aspects of the story, because I do love these characters.**

 **3\. If anyone is interested, I have a playlist which I will be posting as a separate chapter after this Epilogue for each chapter and the story as a whole.**

 **4\. Tumblr is a great way to get ahold of me. (hollysparkswrites)**

 **5\. THANK YOU. 3**


	36. Official Chapter by Chapter Playlist

Chapter 1: Just Like You by Three Days Grace

Chapter 2. Somewhere Only We Know by Keane

Chapter 3. Leave Out All The Rest by Linkin Park

Chapter 4. Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne

and

Training Wheels by Melanie Martinez

Chapter 5. Strangers by Seven Lions, etc.

Chapter 6. Kiss Me Slowly by States/Capitals

Chapter 7. World So Cold by Three Days Grace

Chapter 8. See Through Heart by SEBELL

Chapter 9. In The End by Linkin Park

Chapter 10. When I Look Into The Sky by Train

Chapter 11. Dreaming With A Broken Heart by John Mayer

Chapter 12. A Twist In My Story by Secondhand Serenade

Chapter 13. What I've Done by Linkin Park

Chapter 14. Give Me A Sign by The Sweeplings

Chapter 15. Everything I Want by Matthew Puckett

Chapter 16. Hold On by Colbie Calliat

Chapter 17. Like We Used To by A Rocket To The Moon

Chapter 18. Can You Hold Me by NF feat. Britt Nicole

Chapter 19. In My Veins by Andrew Belle feat. Erin Mccarley

Chapter 20. Faded by Alan Walker

Chapter 21. The First One by Boys Like Girls

Chapter 22. When I'm With You Fireworks Go Off by Clemency

Chapter 23. It Ends Tonight by The All American Rejects

Chapter 24. Here Without You by 3 Doors Down

Chapter 25. Amber by 311

Chapter 26. Better Days by The Goo Goo Dolls

Chapter 27. Hurricane by The Likes of Us

Chapter 28. Anchored At Sea by Act As If

Chapter 29. Have I Always Love You? by Copeland

Chapter 30. Here With You by Saliva

Chapter 31. Clarity by Zedd feat. Foxes

Chapter 32. Endlessly by Green River Ordinance

Chapter 33. Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Chapter 34. My Love by 3rd & Union

Chapter 35. What Would I Do Without You by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

and

Stand By You by Rachel Platten

These and other songs can be found on the playlist titled Life After Love Official Playlist on my Spotify page, which will be continuously updated as I see fit. The alternate ending will have a separate playlist, when that time comes. :)


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